Garry Lyon Issues Apology Over Disrespectful Comment About Tanya Plibersek
AFL great turned commentator Garry Lyon has been forced to apologise to Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek after a disrespectful comment was inadvertently uploaded and circulated online. The incident occurred during a hot mic moment on Wednesday night's episode of AFL 360 on Fox Footy.
Hot Mic Moment During Ad Break
Crikey first reported that Lyon was caught out when off-air footage, not broadcast on Foxtel or Kayo, was mistakenly uploaded to another platform later that night. The footage included an entire four-minute ad break, capturing private conversations.
As the show went to an ad break, Lyon and fellow host Gerard Whateley greeted their next guest, former Sydney coach John Longmire, via video link. Longmire mentioned he had recently visited Canberra and met with politicians, including Plibersek, as part of a Swans delegation at Parliament House.
A photo flashed up showing Plibersek with Swans officials, including Longmire, coach Dean Cox, CEO Matthew Pavlich, AFLW coach Colin O'Riordan, and star players Chloe Molloy and Braeden Campbell. Lyon laughed at Longmire dressed in a suit, commenting, "Sheesh, have a look at Horse (Longmire). Very regal. Regal looking horse."
Disrespectful Remark and Immediate Reaction
Whateley then asked, "What's Tanya Plibersek the minister for again at the moment?" Lyon responded by saying, "Bulls***" followed by laughter. Longmire could be heard saying, "oh don't say that" as Lyon continued to laugh.
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson also joined the desk for the next segment, but Lyon made another comment. Looking at his phone, he said, "Minister for Social Services of Australia" and then added, "I think mine was more accurate." The group exchanged light-hearted comments before going quiet as the show returned from the ad break.
Apologies Issued by Lyon and Fox Sports
On Thursday, Lyon released a statement apologising for his actions. He said, "I apologise personally to Minister Plibersek. While the comment was meant in jest it was clearly disrespectful and I am sorry for the offence and embarrassment it caused."
Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley also apologised unreservedly. He stated, "The off-air comment was made by Garry Lyon during an ad-break on AFL 360 and while the comment did not go to air, it was inadvertently included in the program when it was uploaded to another platform later in the night. The comment during the break does not reflect our values and standards and was disrespectful to the Minister and the hard work that she and all politicians do in representing our community. We have apologised to the Minister this morning and reminded our presenters of the need to be respectful and professional at all times, both on and off camera."
This incident highlights the importance of maintaining professionalism in media settings, even during off-air moments, to avoid unintended consequences and public backlash.
