Radio prank DJ offers to face family

Michael Christian and Mel Greig break down on A Current Affair, in the first interview since the nurse answering their prank call died. Courtesy Nine Network.

Taking stock of the human toll which has followed their "silly joke" was the first question 2DayFM radio presenter Mel Greig asked after being told of the death of UK nurse Jacintha Saldanha.

The answer and tragic consequences of a telephone prank gone wrong will no doubt haunt the young DJ and her co-star Michael Christian who have spoken of their sorrow and regret over the incident which has made them targets in a global hate campaign.

In one of two TV interviews given by the novice pair (with Greig too distraught to continue in a third), she vowed to face the family of Ms Saldanha, who is suspected of having committed suicide in the days after the nurse and mother of two connected a call from the Sydney radio station to the hospital ward caring for Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

Greig told Channel 7's Today Tonight she would face Mrs Saldanha's partner Benedict Barboza, daughter Lisha and son Junal at any coronial inquest into the 47-year-old woman's death.

The radio DJs have apologised to the family of the nurse who answered their prank call in an emotional interview on Today Tonight. Courtesy:Channel Seven

"If that's going to make them feel better then I'll do what I need to do, absolutely. If that's something that they want to do (meet face-to-face), to get some closure, then I'll do that," Greig said.

With British press continuing to accuse the Austereo pair and its management of having "blood on their hands" over the Royal radio prank, Greig and Christian said they were unclear on just who vetted the fateful call which was approved for broadcast last week.

Christian told TT's Clare Bradley: "there are people that make those decisions for us," while Greig added: "it went through the processes of every other recorded bit that we do - from interviews to you know anything all that gets recorded and passed on to the appropriate people...and we're told whether it's yes or no to play."

The prank had been an "innocent idea."

Radio DJs Michael Christian and Mel Greig talk to Tracy Grimshaw on A Current Affair. Picture: Channel 9

Read the full transcript of the Today Tonight interview.

Call the switchboard of King Edward VII hospital in London, where Prince William's wife was being treated for severe morning sickness.

Faking a British accent, Greig posed as Queen Elizabeth and was transferred promptly by Ms Saldanha to a ward nurse, who then conveyed details of the royal patient's condition.

Christian said the "joke was meant to be on us," with the Summer Hot30 team expecting to be hung up on or reprimanded by hospital authorities.

Speaking about when they first found out about the tragedy that followed their prank call, the 2Day FM hosts broke down on A Current Affair. Vision courtesy of Channel 9.

"The call to begin with wasn't about speaking to Kate. It wasn't about trying to get a scoop or anything. The call was just - I mean we'd assumed that we'd be hung up on and that'd be that."

Greig continued: "You know it was designed to be stupid. We were never meant to get that far (with) the little corgies (colleagues) barking in the background. We obviously wanted it to be a joke."

Her co-star said: "there was no malice in the call. There was no digging. There was no trying to upset or get a reaction."

Repeating many of the answers they gave to Seven, Christian became agitated when ACA's Tracy Grimshaw pointed out the joke had "ceased to be about you and became about the nurses because you'd fooled them both...improbably you'd fooled them both."

Channel 9 say the did not pay DJs Michael Christian and Mel Greig for the interview. Picture: Channel 9

Read the full transcript of the A Current Affair interview.

Greig said they had "done everything that we normally do when we make those calls," with Christian adding: "and then it was taken out of our hands."

They refused to name - and were not pushed to nominate - individuals or those in management responsible for making the final call to put the prank to air, describing them only as "people above us."

The pair confirmed they were being supported and counselled to cope with the barrage of criticism, guilt and grief which has followed the news of the nurse's death.

Speaking in emotional interviews on two commercial networks, 2Day FM's royal pranksters say they're sorry for "the worst call" of their lives.

Greig said the focus for concern should rightly be on Ms Saldanha's family and she had no thoughts of returning to work or continuing her radio career at this stage.

"There's bigger, more pressing issues and that's making sure the family gets through this tough time. You know our careers aren't important at the moment."

While Ms Saldanha, known to work colleagues and friends as "Jess" was being mourned around the world, her ailing mother was reportedly not even aware of her daughter's death.

The Times of India said family members had chosen not to inform Carmine Saldanha of her daughter's passing because she was suffering from heart problems and was under sedation.

Britain's Daily Mail reported the beloved nurse and mother had "died of shame". The Mail quoted her brother Naveen as saying: "She would have felt much shame about the incident."

As the international backlash deepened, threats made by online hackers to shut down the station's cyber systems were of little worry, Greig said.

"There's nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now. And for what I feel for the family. We're so sorry that this has happened to them," she told TT, crying.

Austereo chief executive Rhys Holleran tonight denied breaching Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) guidelines.

"We had a process and procedure in place, we followed those procedures and part of that was a legal review," Mr Holleran told Ten's The Project.

"As an organisation we believe we've done what was necessary ..."

He later said: "This is a tragic event but it's not something they could have reasonably foreseen."

The Project's Carrie Bickmore and Charlie Pickering pulled out of their interview with the young duo, with producer Tom Whitty tweeting: "Mel Greig was too upset and our hosts @BickmoreCarrie and @charliepick were not comfortable."

When asked why the 2DayFM pair participated in television interviews after it was reported Mel Grieg's family was concerned about her mental state, Mr Holleran said that "it's something they felt strongly they wanted to do."

"They feel great sadness, it was their decision," Mr Holleran said. "We took into account the views of the professionals we've had helping these young people. We took all of that into account."

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy described the radio hoax as "tragic" and confirmed ACMA was taking the unusual step of talking directly to 2DayFM.

The ACMA normally waits for listeners to make complaints and only becomes involved if they remain unresolved. 2DayFM would not comment on reports it had already received more than 1000 complaints.''

A Current Affair's Tracy Grimshaw offered the 2Day FM DJs support on twitter. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

If you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide contact Lifeline 13 11 14, beyondblue 1300 22 46 36, or Salvo Care Line 1300 36 36 22.

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