The allegations levelled against Don Burke are both horrifying and – sadly, for a lot of people in the industry – not even remotely new. Burke’s checkered history and reputation is something of an open secret in the Australian television industry that’s only just now being aired out to dry.
But while Channel Nine initially issued a statement asserting they were “distancing” themselves from the former Burke’s Backyard host, that hasn’t stopped Tracy Grimshaw and A Current Affair from practically falling over themselves to secure an exclusive interview – reportedly a “heated” one – which is set to air tonight in primetime.
Before that happens, it’s probably timely to highlight a few instances of Burke being… well, remarkably creepy on-air.
Burke will likely stringently deny all claims made against him on ACA this evening, including charges that he is a “sexual predator,” “misogynist,” and a “psychotic bully” as the joint Fairfax–ABC investigation sensationally levelled this morning.
And yet, here is footage of Burke, on his own program, very blatantly asking a clearly uncomfortable Annalise Braakensiek “are your breasts real?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emHohNZfUlQ
Then there’s this, from a 2011 appearance on the mercifully short-lived Can of Worms in which Burke’s language – namely, the insinuation that he “loves nothing better than a good fuck” leaves Jessica Rowe quite clearly horrified.
While Burke’s “side” of the argument gets aired on ACA, the ABC will be airing their full investigation on 7:30, which is set to feature scores of women who bravely spoke to camera about their encounters with Burke, as well as 50 other people who spoke for background information on the story.
Since the piece broke this morning, ABC journalist Kate McClymont has reportedly received an addition 200 complaints about Burke from other women.
Journalist @Kate_McClymont says she has received at least 200 additional complaints about #donburke since the story came out this morning pic.twitter.com/4emrrX5ZGC
— ABC News (@abcnews) November 27, 2017
Those are some fairly compelling numbers, no matter which way you look at it.
