DJ behind Royal baby hospital prank call linked to nurse Jacintha Saldanah’s suicide resigns

DJ behind Royal baby hospital prank call linked to nurse Jacintha Saldanah’s suicide resigns

mangaloretoday.com

Australia, Dec 5: The Australian radio DJ who made the prank call to the London hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated during her pregnancy has resigned.

Mel Greig accused radio station Southern Cross Austereo of failing to maintain a safe workplace, as the international furore that followed the royal hoax saw her vilified in media across the globe.

The prank by Mel Greig and her colleague Michael Christian in December last year was linked to the death of British nurse Jacintha Saldanha.

 

Resigned: Radio DJ Mel Greig, left, has left her job after accusing the Australian radio station of failing to maintain a safe workplace following the prank call she made with colleague Michael Christian, right

 

 

Jacintha Saldanha was duped by the prank call and put the DJs through to the ward of King George Hospital, London

 

Royal baby: The prank call was made to the King Edward VII hospital where The Duchess of Cambridge was treated for acute morning sickness shortly before her pregnancy was announced

Ms Greig and Mr Christian made a prank call to London’s King Edward VII Hospital in December last year, where the Duchess was being treated for severe morning sickness.
 

The presenters - pretending to be the Queen and Prince Philip - were put through to her ward by Bristol mother-of-two nurse Ms Saldanha, who took her own life three days after the hoax was widely publicised in the media.

 

In a statement released in Australia, the Southern Cross Austereo said the dispute arising from the royal hoax had been ‘amicably resolved’ and Ms Greig had resigned, effective from December 31 this year.

The company reiterated its position that recording and broadcasting the fateful call was ‘not unlawful’ and said 2Day FM decided to broadcast the call despite suggestions from Ms Greig that it should be changed.

In a statement, Austero said: ‘Prior to the call being broadcast she made suggestions for changes to be made to the recording of the call.

‘2Day FM decided that the call should be broadcast without alteration.’

Austero said Ms Greig intended to provide a statement to the UK coroner’s inquest and that the station would co-operate fully.

The inquest into Ms Saldanha’s death has been opened and adjourned.

The stunt drew widespread criticism with the the hospital’s boss John Lofthouse saying: ’This was a foolish prank call that we all deplore.’

Courtesy: Daily Mail