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Nine presenters in hot water

Alex Cullen is stood down after taking a $50k sweetener while Tony Jones comes under fire for comments mocking Novak Djokovic.

Two Nine presenters have drawn headlines over the past 24 hours, both for unrelated incidents.

Today show’s Alex Cullen has stood down while the network investigates him receiving $50,000 from billionaire, Adrian Portelli.

Portelli, who successfully bid on The Block last year, is not a fan of the ‘Lambo Guy’ nickname he has attracted, offered $50,000 to the first person who called him ‘McLaren Man’ on air.

After Alex Cullen did just that, he accepted a $50,000 deposit in his bank account.

“Nine is taking this matter extremely seriously,” a spokesperson told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“Appropriate action has been promptly taken, including arranging for the funds to be returned.

“While we review the circumstances in which this occurred, Alex has agreed to stand down.”

Karl Stefanovic reportedly also made a reference to ‘McLaren Man’.

Updated: The Age reports on Tuesday afternoon, Portelli again took to his Instagram, claiming to have donated $25,000 to the Salvation Army and $25,000 to the RSPCA “on behalf” of Cullen, who reportedly returned the funds to Portelli. He said Cullen had initially told him it was his intention to donate the funds to charity.

Meanwhile Nine News Melbourne sports presenter Tony Jones, never short of an impromptu moment, drew criticism after mocking Serbian tennis fans for their devotion to ovak Djokovic.

In front of chanting Australian Open fans Jones shouted, ““Novak, he’s overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out!” before adding “I’m glad they can’t hear me.”

But former doubles world No. 1 tennis player Paul McNamee took to social media to express his disappointment with the comments by the host broadcaster.

Another user on X suggested they had been encouraged to chant for Djokovic, which would suggest a more concerning agenda, if true.

Jones later rold news.com.au: “It was good natured banter with the Serbian fans. We’ve been doing it all tournament and it’s all in good fun. This is the happy Slam.”

Nine has been contacted for comment.

28 Responses

  1. Firstly the Tony Jones uproar, if you watched the clip – the fans were being obnoxious – so they deserved a bit of ribbing and that’s what they got. Its called humour Kimmy. On the Alex Cullen kerfuffle, it is very odd as the whole thing was promoted via social media, responded to live on air (!!!) with both him and Karl joked about splitting the $50K, so it wasn’t like their usual form of promoting a program/product/service surreptitiously and getting kick backs on the side. My only surprise is that Alex actually took the money. Obviously Nine have been cutting their pay packets ;)

  2. I will throw a few bob on TJ *Not* hosting the 2026 aus open, get anyone else to do, the number of complaints and contreversys this man causes during his host broadcasting, I am suprised nine has not already done something about it.

  3. Maybe it’s time for Tennis Australia to tear up the contract but seriously, Tony Jones should have been sacked years ago but he’s apart of the boys club. Enough is enough.

  4. Confirmed by Max Laughton of Fox Sports on X, Novak says it was Tony Jones in a long statement. Says his protest with Nine will continue until he receives an apology, apparently hasn’t received one from either yet (how poor is that!) Oh my God, can’t recall something like this before. ~$500m new deal too. Said it was nothing against Courier.

  5. Oh my goodness, Novak Djokovic just refused to do the traditional post-match interview with Jim Courier. He was then seen on 9 inside the Rod Laver corridors talking at length tensely with veteran Tournament Director Craig Tiley. Reports online suggesting it was in protest against Nine’s Tony Jones’ comments. The host broadcaster. Boy oh boy wowee! It’s already stormed socials within minutes and newspaper top headlines, “Djokovic” and “Jim Courier” (and probably “Tony Jones” soon too) now the top trending. Can’t wait for the presser! What if Djoker wins the thing again, no trophy chat with James Bracey? This is so unnecessarily very very unfortunate and awkward. I think Catherine West, Matt Stanton, Michael Healy and Brent Williams need to sit down with his team and offer a formal apology.

  6. I swear ‘TJ’ (which he hates being called) must know some skeletons in the 9 management office – how else does he stay on air after a lot of incidents.

  7. Tony Jones often gets annoyed when sports fans are making a lot of noise while he’s doing a live on air spot.He has form in this regard,so I’m not surprised he made these comments.

  8. There was a reason Tony was moved from hosting the evening sessions after his disastrous interview with Osaka when she won the tournament a few years ago

  9. As much as I dislike Djokovic, TJ’s jokes have gone way too far. Most of his jokes are out of bounds. I never find him to be very entertaining.
    Other presenters like Sylvia Jefferys (filling for Emma Lawrence) would do a better job than TJ.

  10. I don’t watch channel nine news but Tony Jones seems to be making news for all the wrong reasons; I don’t remember any other news broadcaster in the news as much. For awkward weird unprofessional moments. Is he that popular in Melbourne?

  11. If you watch the clip, you can clearly see TJ is a bit ‘ticked off’ or annoyed with the screaming Serbian fans while he’s trying to concentrate, just before he turns around his eyes kind of roll and looks at the ground. And the tone and what he said, on-air, no way was it 100% tongue-in-cheek, I mean you just wouldn’t say it like that nor would anyone, let alone an anchor and broadcaster of the Australian Open, so much for consummate professionalism, not that Jones is particularly known for that these days. In regards to the reports that 9WWOS producers or crew asked them to be there/do that, perhaps, but I’m sure the two parties were taunting each other a bit as well, clearly got the better of Tony. Of all the ways he could’ve commented on the background or involved them, he went with that. Still bizarre and add it to his long CV of these moments LOL.

  12. Personally, I think the Alex Cullen comment is harmless and the response to it is just ridiculous. Storm in a teacup for me!

    Thought TJ’s comments towards Djokovic were fine as well – he’s allowed a different opinion to others!

      1. I agree. It’s wrong. Effectively product placement without noting it done for the viewers. Does Karl get stood down also for influencing what he says on air for the prospect of $50k?

  13. this lambo guy mclaren man stuff… is one of the craziest things i’ve ever heard.and that “newsmen”might have acted on it for profit..wow.the world is a weird place right now,and this is right up there.

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