Chris Smith spotted for first time since Sky News Christmas party scandal in ‘unbreakable’ hoodie

[ad_1]

Disgraced TV host Chris Smith wore a hoodie with the word ‘unbreakable’ on it as he was seen for the first time since being sacked over his ‘drunk groping’ scandal at the Sky News Christmas party.  

Smith, 60, was on his own as he visited a Bunnings hardware store in Alexandria, Sydney, before grabbing some groceries at a nearby supermarket. 

The former anchor also went to a coffee shop and met with an acquaintance before running his errands. 

It is the first time he has been seen since allegedly groping a Sky News co-worker’s bottom at the company Christmas party in December and making several crude and inappropriate comments to other young women at the event. 

The remarks allegedly brought a female colleague to tears, while another co-worker is understood to have struck Smith due to his conduct. 

Chris Smith spotted for first time since Sky News Christmas party scandal in ‘unbreakable’ hoodie

Ex-Sky News anchor Chris Smith, 60, was on his own as he visited a Bunnings store in Alexandria, Sydney

He sported a hoodie with the word 'unbreakable' emblazoned on the back as he ran some errands in Sydney

He sported a hoodie with the word ‘unbreakable’ emblazoned on the back as he ran some errands in Sydney

He also approached a woman and creepily commented about one of her Instagram photos from a holiday, saying she ‘had a lot of side boob going on’. 

Three days after the party, Smith was fired by Sky and also lost his radio show on 2GB.

Smith later apologised ‘profusely’ and blamed the incident on long-standing problems with alcohol and bipolar disorder, while revealing he had checked himself into a mental health facility. 

‘I have a recurring problem with alcohol… it sends me manic,’ he said is a statement.

See also  Delco Building Group, Hallbury Homes, WA Housing Group: Why Australia is in a construction crisis

‘I am in a facility receiving professional help to deal conclusively with my abuse of alcohol and solve this once and for all, without qualification… it can and will be done.’ 

His wife Susie Burrell moved out of the couple’s home after learning about the Christmas party incident.

The nutritionist, author and columnist – who also has a degree in psychology – took the couple’s six-year-old twin sons with her.  

Smith’s sacking from Sky and 2GB was the third time he had been officially reprimanded for inappropriate behaviour in his 40 year career.

A former Nine Network worker accused him of exposing his genitals and pushing her up against a wall during an office party 24 years ago. 

Sally, which is not her real name, said he only got a ‘slap on the wrist’ after allegedly unzipping his pants at a leaving party as she ended her stint at Channel Nine’s flagship show A Current Affair in Artarmon, Sydney in 1998.

The female staff member told the Daily Telegraph Smith approached her while he was ‘a bit drunk’ at a Channel Nine do farewelling herself and two other colleagues. 

Smith was her chief-of-staff at A Current Affair at the time, while she was the youngest worker in the office after scoring her job at the network straight out of university. 

It is the first time he has been seen since allegedly groping a Sky News co-worker's bottom at the company Christmas party in December and making several crude and inappropriate comments to other young women

It is the first time he has been seen since allegedly groping a Sky News co-worker’s bottom at the company Christmas party in December and making several crude and inappropriate comments to other young women

Smith was sensationally sacked following his 'drunk groping' scandal at the Sky News Christmas party

Smith was sensationally sacked following his ‘drunk groping’ scandal at the Sky News Christmas party

The program’s employees got together for the shindig at the network’s ritzy third-floor boardroom. 

‘We were in that boardroom. We were all having drinks and relaxing and I was in the middle of it all when Chris came lurching and swaying up to me, clearly already a bit drunk,’ she said. 

‘I’m paraphrasing here, but he said something along the lines of “I want to f*** you, you’re f****** hot” and then I looked down, his pants zip is undone and his penis is hanging out.’

She alleged she was shocked at the time and tried to get away from Smith and went around a corner – but he followed her. 

‘There he pushed me up against the wall, still with his penis hanging out, his drunken breath in my face, continuing to tell me how much he wanted me,’ she alleged. 

The woman said she pushed him away, fleeing to the other side of the room and told the show’s receptionist about what had happened.

She said Smith then came and lurched over the pair, still with his genitals exposed, before she told him to zip himself up – which he didn’t do. 

His wife Susie Burrell moved out of the couple's home after learning about the Christmas party incident

His wife Susie Burrell moved out of the couple’s home after learning about the Christmas party incident

Smith's sacking from Sky and 2GB was the third time he had been officially reprimanded for inappropriate behaviour in his 40 year career

Smith’s sacking from Sky and 2GB was the third time he had been officially reprimanded for inappropriate behaviour in his 40 year career 

The staff member then hailed a passing senior colleague to help, who reportedly saw Smith’s exposed genitals and grabbed him by the collar before pulling him out of the boardroom. 

The woman said she still has a photographic memory of the event because it was so distressing and remembers breaking out in a cold sweat and shaking. 

Smith was never sacked over the incident but was just given a ‘slap over the wrist’, she said.

The woman explained how he was banned from going to the Channel Nine bar and had his car taken away from him for six months. 

She added she didn’t speak up about the incident because she feared it would affect her career, claiming rumours of the awful incident impacted her attempts to get a good job in the industry.  

Smith was demoted from his role as chief-of-staff at A Current Affair after the incident – but he was caught out again. 

The TV commentator was suspended for a time when he worked at 2GB following the station’s 2009 Christmas party. 

It is alleged he behaved inappropriately towards several women and tried to kiss a female colleague.

[ad_2]

Source link