The radio announcer is taking Federal Court action against his former employer Southern Cross Austereo
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) is facing legal action from a former radio host who was involved in a controversial royal prank call back in 2012.
Michael Christian is suing SCA under the Fair Work Act, the Corporations Act as a whistleblower, and under Common Law for breach of contract.
Christian was one of the two radio hosts in 2012 who made a prank call to a London hospital where the then Duchess of Cambridge, was admitted with severe morning sickness during her first pregnancy.
He and his fellow radio host, Mel Greig, pretended to be Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales in an attempt to talk with the Duchess.
They were answered by a nurse, Jacintha Saldanha, who transferred the call to a nurse who disclosed private medical information. The prank attracted widespread criticism and and Saldanha committed suicide two days later.
More than a decade later, Christian is suing the network, accusing SCA of not immediately taking public accountability for the incident and allegedly leaving him and Greig to be the "scapegoats", according to a statement from his lawyers.
"[SCA] allowed Michael and Ms Greig to be left to be the public faces of the incident, and were left exposed to relentless public vitriol, harassment and abuse, including death threats, which still continue to this day," Christian's legal team, Harmers Workplace Lawyers, claimed in a statement.
According to the statement, Christian continues to suffer "severe mental health issues as a result of the continuing public backlash" 13 years since the incident.
Southern Cross Austereo said it was "inappropriate" for them to comment on the case because it is already before the courts.
"As the matter is currently before the courts, and out of respect for the legal process and the privacy of those involved, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time," it told 9News.com.au.
The statement claims prior to the call, both hosts objected to the prank and after the call expressed concerns about broadcasting the recording but these concerns were allegedly dimissed.
The former host claims he was assured by SCA that his career would be protected and restored if he remained silent. Instead, he alleges, his former employer was "gradually marginalising" him within the business over the past 13 years.
According to his lawyer's statement, Christian was terminated by SCA in February, and was allegedly asked to sign a legal deed that would prevent him from speaking out.
"Michael refused to sign," his legal team said.
