SKY News presenter Chris Smith suspended

SKY News host Chris Smith was absent from his Sunday edition of Chris Smith Tonight after being suspended by the news channel after accusations that he behaved inappropriately toward colleagues at a Christmas party over the weekend.

Guardian Australia reports Smith was with other employees at The Establishment in Sydney. He reportedly joined colleagues at The Ivy Sunroom at midday on Saturday for the formal event before going on to The Establishment. After concerns about his behaviour were raised with senior executives, he was stood down immediately.

“The person involved has been suspended while an investigation into the allegations is undertaken,” a spokesperson for SKY News said in a statement.

“The welfare of our staff is our absolute priority. We have a zero-tolerance approach to inappropriate conduct and take these allegations very seriously.”

He was also suspended by 2GB, just before he was due to take over from Ben Fordham today.

In 2009 he was stood down from his role on 2GB after allegedly groping a female colleague at a Christmas party which he later blamed on drinking and taking “the wrong antidepressants”.

Chris Smith was expected to be given a regular spot on SKY News next year hosting the 5pm program.

Updated: “I am beyond gutted and devastated to know I have upset my colleagues after our Christmas party,” Smith told The Daily Telegraph.

“I apologise profusely to the women I upset. That’s not the man I am at work, ever, as they will all attest. They have been so supportive to me and do not deserve such drunken treatment.”