Channel Nine investigates 'heated' incident on set involving star newsreader Georgie Gardner – junior staffer files complaint

Channel Nine is investigating claims about a heated on-set incident between star news presenter Georgie Gardner and staff last month.

It is alleged that the confrontation took place off-air after Gardner, 54, had finished reading the news bulletin from Sydney.

According to The Sunday Telegraph, a young employee has filed a complaint and Nine has launched an internal investigation.

“It's the talk of the newsroom right now,” an insider told the publication.

Gardner did not appear on the show for two weeks following the alleged incident, but her absence was unrelated and was classified as a “planned vacation.”

“People were upset about the incident, but considering she had been out of the picture for several weeks, they were able to bear it,” an insider said.

On September 13, Gardner resumed her job as news anchor, hosting Friday and Saturday nights.

When asked by the Sunday Telegraph, Nine did not comment on the allegations and instead said in a statement: “Georgie Gardner is a highly valued long-standing member of our Nine News team. We have no further comment.”

Daily Mail Australia has also contacted Nine for comment.

Gardner is a presenter at Nine News in Sydney and reads the 6pm bulletin on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Gardner joined the station in 2002 and began her time at Nine as a weather presenter and afternoon news anchor.

In 2006, she replaced Leila McKinnon as presenter of the National Nine News Morning Edition and was news presenter of the Today show for eight years.

In 2009, Gardner was also named weekend anchor of the 6 p.m. news while continuing to co-anchor the Today show.

She left her job at Today in 2014 to spend more time with her family, but continued to work occasionally as a reporter for 60 Minutes and 9News.

The alleged incident occurred off-air but still on set after Gardner (pictured last month) had finished reading the Sydney News Bulletin.

A young employee complained and Nine has launched an internal investigation into the matter. Pictured: Channel Nine's headquarters in Sydney

The blonde presenter then replaced Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show in 2018 and sat alongside Karl Stefanovic on Channel Nine's breakfast show for a year.

In 2019, she co-hosted the show with Deborah Knight.

Last year, Gardner spoke openly about why her role as co-host alongside Karl Stefanovic didn't work out.

On the podcast “It's All Her,” Gardner revealed details about the job and said it was a “privilege” to take on the role.

But the issues surrounding Stefanovic's very public divorce from his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn and his relationship with his current wife Jasmine Yarbrough took their toll in the studio.

“Unfortunately, this deployment was short-lived due to things beyond my control,” she said.

“I hosted with Karl for a year, which was a lot of fun. But it was also a time in his private life when a lot was going on. And there was a lot of noise.

“We were never able to really get a foothold because there was always so much speculation about his private life. That was really hard for him. And it was hard for us.”

The journalist then dismissed previous reports about the couple's strained relationship.

“We got along really well and really liked each other and the chemistry was actually there,” she continued.

“Anyway, one thing led to another and he was taken off the show. Actually, they took everyone off, which was very, very difficult for me.”

Stefanovic was dropped from the Today show before Deborah Knight moved in alongside Gardner in 2019.

But after the show was completely overhauled and new presenters were brought in, Gardner suggested the breakfast show was still struggling and decided to step down from her role.

“It got to a point where I saw it just wasn't going to work. So I gracefully left the stage and continued with my messaging, which I still do today,” Gardner added.

Gardner joined the station in 2002 and began her time at Nine as a weather presenter and anchored afternoon news.

Gardner was confirmed as Lisa Wilkinson's highly anticipated successor six years ago.

But the collaboration with Stefanovic was short-lived. The Sunday Telegraph claimed at the time that the two “couldn't stand each other”.

According to the publication, Gardner only agreed to the Channel Nine sideshow “after being assured that she would only have to work with Karl for a year.” However, a spokesperson for the broadcaster dismissed the report as “nonsense.”

Stefanovic viewed Georgie as having no sense of humor, while she viewed him as having an “inflated ego,” News Corp. claimed.

Gardner is said to have only agreed to host the Today Show on the condition that she would not have to work with Karl for long.

“She signed for the show after being assured that she would only have to work with Karl for a year,” an anonymous executive is said to have told the Sunday Telegraph at the time.

“After that, he's gone, Nine will recast the role and she'll work with someone else.”

Stefanovic “agreed” to Gardner's terms because Gardner had been “pushing” for Today to be released for some time, the article said.

However, a Channel Nine spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that there was no truth to the report: “It's nonsense.”

Gardner was confirmed as the highly anticipated replacement for Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show six years ago, but her appearance alongside Karl Stefanovic Stefanovic (left) was short-lived