Andy Lee may be considered one of the funniest blokes on Aussie TV, but the joke’s been turned on him in an excruciatingly awkward prank call which has played out on radio.
Airing on the Kyle and Jackie O Show Monday morning, the 41-year-old Australian comedian is heard during a phone chat with his long-term girlfriend Rebecca Harding, 31, who tells him she’s signed him up to speak at a charity gig at the last minute.
Things goes south quickly when Lee, who said he left an intense meeting to take Harding’s call, flat-out declines to help.
Here’s how it went down:
Rebecca: i’ve got [bleep] begging me, they’ve had someone pull out [of an event] and they need a celebrity for this thing in the office they’re doing tomorrow night and I said you can do it. It’ll be 15 minutes.
Andy: No. It’s an absolute no. I don’t care how long it is.
A: You’ve just got to auction yourself off for a lunch you’ll go to with one of the girls …
A: (Laughs) No, god no.
A: I’ve told her that you’re doing it and they’ve posted it and told the whole office you’re going.
A: Tell her that I’m undoing it. I’m not doing it.
A: It’ll be good promotion for The 100 [Lee’s show].
A: (Laughs) 80 people … I may as well walk down the street and hand out flyers. I know she can be a persistent friend, but no.
A: I’ve told her you can do it, so you’re doing it. It’ll be 15 minutes tomorrow night.
A: You’ve explained to me the scheduled appointment I’m just not making it.
A: It’s for charity … You’re going to come off as such ad**k if you don’t do it.
A: I’m not af***ing d**k. I never said I’d do it.
A: I said that you can do it; it’s a last minute thing for a friend.
A: Well ring someone else. Get a contestant from MAFS. You can attend with a cardboard cut-out of me.
A: Well then would you do the date?
A: No … What’s the charity?
A: I’m not sure – I didn’t ask.
A: That’s another thing as well, the answer’s no. And we don’t even know what the charity is.
A: It’ll be 15 minutes of your time
A: It’s your problem not mine. Enjoy your problem.
Harding then reveals she was “only lying” and it was all a prank for the Kyle and Jackie O Showto which a dumbfounded Lee responded, “Oh f***ing hell, I cannot believe I’ve failed for this.”
Lee previously pranked Harding in a similar fashion on the show, in which he was heard telling his girlfriend he “regretted” getting their new puppy and that he wanted to get rid of it.
She said she was left “shaking in anger” after the exchange.
The second round of Masked Singer contestants performed on Monday’s episode, with another celeb unmasked at the end of the episode.
And this time, it was Australian swimming champion Lisa Curry, revealed to be the celeb under the caterpillar costume.
The Caterpillar had said in her clues package that she could be found worldwide, “from coast to jungle.” She was shown being knighted by a royal – while someone else in the shot did their ironing of her. Meanwhile in the corner of the screen, a counter ticked up to the number 15.
After she performed a distinctively Australian-accented rendition of Tones And I’s song cloudyday, the judges guessed Carrie Bickmore, Sally Pearson, Schapelle Corby (!) and Emily Seebohm. But the clues pointed to Curry: She can be found on the coast and in the jungle, thanks to her stint de ella on I’m A Celeb. She’s got an MBE (there’s the royal knighting) – and her birthday de ella is May 15. And with her ten medals, she’d fit as the “Commonwealth Games superstar” Ten have been teasing will feature in this season.
After her reveal, Hughesy dubbed the swimmer “an absolute icon in this country”, while Chrissie Swan said she was moved by Curry’s spirit, given her traumatic recent past (her daughter passed away in September 2020).
“You know what? I needed a bit of cheering up, so I just thought, ‘Why not do it?’ Because you only get these opportunities once and you never lose, you only learn,” Curry said.
Here’s who else performed on Monday’s episode – along with the best guesses about who exactly is under each mask:
Tiger
The Tiger said he had “links to lions” in his clues package, which showed him playing the theme tune to BMX Bandits on a piano alongside a framed photo of Chelsea Clinton. He was shown wearing a tutu and made a reference to stripping.
The Tiger had a baritone, growling voice for a powerhouse rendition of feeling good. Definitely Australian, and someone with a strong voice.
Chrissie had a “very strong vibe” she was watching Jamie Durie, while Mel B went for British soccer star Paul Gascoigne. Abbie Chatfield guessed Jett Kenny, and Hughesy… Tom Cruise.
I’m siding with Chrissie Swan for this one, given how strongly she felt it was former Manpower stripper turned Backyard Blitz host Durie under the mask. And the clues match up… Chelsea Clinton, you ask? How about this: Durie won gold at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show in 2008.
Snapdragon
Now for an easy one. The Snapdragon’s clues package included a sign declaring they “love Jim Carrey,” and showed them lifting weights labeled 100 and 1. There were references to being mysterious and not being seen as they are.
Then Snapdragon launched into a performance of Demi Lovato’s Sorry Not Sorry – and anyone who’s familiar with The Voice and Eurovision star Sheldon Riley will instantly recognize that voice. In fact, many fans already picked him from his brief appearance in the pre-season ads.
With Sheldon in mind, the clues about being hidden and mysterious make more sense: He often covers his face behind jeweled headpieces when he performs (could the Jim Carrey clue be a reference to The Mask?)
And those 1 and 100 weights? Sheldon’s Eurovision song Not The Same went to number 1 on the AIR 100% Independent Singles Chart.
Mel B guessed former boyfriend Peter Andre, Abbie Chatfield went with drag star Trixie Mattel, Chrissie pinned it on Courtney Act and Dave Hughes guessed … Renée Zellweger. He’s really just pulling Hollywood A-lister names out of a barrel at this point.
Popcorn
Popcorn “went from nothing to huge in the blink of an eye” and said “Wikipedia says his ancestors came from Mexico.” He said he’d want to be stuck on a desert island with “Kylie and Lady Gaga.”
Popcorn delivered an impressively falsetto-filled version of Scissor Sisters’ I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ – complete with a high note to finish.
Chrissie Swan guessed Rick Springfield, Mel B thought Troye Sivan and Abbie guessed Studio 10 host Tristan McManus. I’m hearing another Aussie singer – one who enjoyed overnight success with his debut single Black and Gold. That voice is SW Sam Sparro.
The clues make sense: Sam has duetted with Kylie in the past – and he famously kept Lady Gaga’s iconic meat dress in his fridge when his fashion designer friend made it.
Rooster
The Rooster’s clues package showed him wearing boxing gloves, in front of an Auscar championships poster, and reading a book on Australia’s greatest churches. He said family was important to him, and was shown cutting someone’s hair – in front of a background of Matrix-style binary codes.
His performance of Bruno Mars’ 24 Karat Magic suggested a strong voice – and also perhaps an older male. Some on social media noted that the clues could match Hugh Sheridan – but it really sounds nothing like him.
The guesses from the judges were wild: Keanu Reeves, David Guetta, Russell Brand and John Farnham. That last one, from Mel B, seems closest, but none of them have convinced me so far.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s Masked Singer got the season off to a cracking start, with one of the show’s best-kept secrets revealed when actor Ryan Moloney – aka Toadfish from neighbors – was unmasked after a surprisingly decent rendition of an Ed Sheeran hit.
Few guessed Moloney was inside the Knight costume, but viewers were more certain about other contestants who performed on Sunday, with fans of the show convinced that Shannon Noll, former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton and former Wiggle Emma Watkins are among those still left in the competition .
The Masked Singer continues 7:30pm Tuesday on Ten.
The convicted drug smuggler-turned-reality TV contestant posted about her newly-single status on Sunday, prompting immediate calls for her to be the next bachelorette, naturally.
Corby, 45, posted a photo of her presumably hand-in-hand with her scribbled-out ex-boyfriend Ben Panangian, with the call to action: “Looking for a New Four Leaf Clover. * ATTENTION *. Help a girl out – Get Tagging”.
The post included Papa Roach song Last Resort to drive her request home.
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Responding to the revelation and subsequent bachelorette buzz, Warner Bros. executive producer Ed hinted it’s not off the table.
Speaking to Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa during a surprise call this morning, Ed confirmed there had been no decision made on the next bachelorette yet, prompting Fitzy to make his pitch.
“Schapelle Corby has broken up with Ben over in Bali and looking for love. Now there have been a lot of people suggesting it wouldn’t be great if Channel 10 could find Schapelle Corby Love?” I have suggested.
“I agree… I think a lot of people would tune in,” Ed responded, asking the pair: “Do you think she’d be good on the dates?” to which funnyman Fitzy suggested a final destination.
“And the final decision, her down to two guys, the final decision is in Kuta,” he joked about the popular Aussie tourist spot in Bali, where Corby was infamously arrested with her bodyboard bag in 2004.
Revealing they “hadn’t considered” Corby for the spot, Ed said: “We’ll absolutely put that to Channel 10.”
It wouldn’t be Corby’s first stint on Aussie TV since she was released from prison, having appeared on Channel 7’s SAS Australia in 2020, and Dancing With The Stars in 2021.
Corby spent nine years in Indonesia’s brutal Kerobokan Prison after she was convicted of smuggling 4.2kg of cannabis into the country via a checked-in boogie board bag.
It was at the notoriously rough prison where she met her Indonesian surfer ex Panangian in 2006.
Corby had previously shared they were eager to have a baby together, despite it being virtually impossible for Panagian to settle in Australia due to his criminal record.
The couple caught up overseas in countries that didn’t require visas for entry.
Three of Aussie TV’s favorite offerings premiered on Sunday night, competing in the same timeslot in the all-important ratings battle.
So how did Channel 7’s long-awaited return of My Kitchen Ruleswith megastar new judge Nigella Lawson, measure up against The Masked Singer on Channel 10, and The Block on Channel 9?
Overnight ratings released via TV Tonight see The Block‘s 18th season taking out the night, with an impressive 867,000 metro viewers.
The Masked Singer came in second with a respectable metro audience of 598,000, closely followed by My Kitchen Ruleswhich launched to 503,000 viewers.
The result is a year-on-year lift for The Blockwhich debuted to 747,000 metro viewers back in 2021. The other two shows are remaining mor stable from previous seasons: The Masked Singer last year opened to 642,000 metro viewers, while the last time MKR aired back in 2020, it opened to 498,000 viewers.
The home renovation show’s “biggest season ever” filmed in Gisborne, Victoria, introduced viewers to the five teams battling it out for a win on auction day — including “quitters” Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull, who fled the set and threw in the towel after two days of filming.
Their first day on set was met with skepticism from one fellow contestant — outspoken mum Sarah-Jane, who was quick to question their inclusion.
“She’s already famous, she’s got 600,000 followers on Instagram, she’s got sh*tloads of money, why are they here?” she smoked to producers.
As for the first episode of Channel 10 quirky musical guessing game The Masked Singernone other that Ryan Moloney — Aka Toadfish — was unveiled as the knight, fresh off a 27-year stint on neighbors.
Singing Ed Sheeran’s Bad Habitsthe actor’s pipes elicited squeals of delight from judges Abbie Chatfield, Mel B, Dave “Hughesy” Hughes and Chrissie Swan when it came time for the big reveal.
Over on Channel 7, My Kitchen Rules‘Hotly anticipated return after a two-year hiatus was widely praised by viewers on social media thanks to Nigella Lawson.
The British home cooking queen, who was earlier announced as Pete Evans’ replacement for the 2022 season, appeared alongside French chef Manu Feildel on Sunday night, and fans have already declared she will “save the series”.
The show’s relaunch comes after MKR suffered declining ratings in 2019 and 2020.
In an effort to reinvigorate the franchise, the network parted ways with original Judge Evans following a slew of controversies, and promised the series would be bouncing back to its core values of “real food and real people” in 2022.
It’s understood Lawson will only feature in half of the season, with former MasterChef judge Matt Preston joining Feildel for the back half.
Larry Emdur has spilled on the shockingly low pay he received for appearing in cult Aussie classic The Castle.
the Morning Show presenter, 57, made a small cameo as himself hosting The Price Is Right in the 1997 comedy, during a scene where Tracey (played by actress Sophie Lee) appears on the game show.
“45,000 worth of prizes, the luggage needs to be more than $640, it needs to be less than $740 … Go!” he is heard saying as Dale Kerrigan (Stephen Curry) narrates the family’s highlights over the years.
The Seven host’s appearance was small but iconic – but, as he told news.com.au podcast I’ve Got News For Youhe only pocketed a tiny amount for it.
“It was only like $123 or something like that, because it was just going to be a little indie film, no one had any idea where that was going,” Emdur explained to host Andrew Bucklow.
“They came in and shot the thing, we did it in a commercial break, and then they sent me a poster and a check for $123 dollars. (The Castle) went on to make tens of millions of dollars.”
During his interview with IGNFYEmdue also opened up about his beef with “sneaky” Karl Stefanovic over former Seven host Lisa Wilkinson.
He explained that plans were in place for then-Weekend Sunrise host Wilkinson to become his co-host, but that Stefanovic had instead lured her over to the Today Show.
“In the weeks after that audition, I introduced Lisa to Karl Stefanovic at the Logies,” Emdur revealed.
“And then he went about his sneaky little ways, which he does, and he somehow dragged Lisa over to the Today show.”
However, Emdur explained that there were no hard feelings, as it was the “right move” for Wilkinson.
“I think Lisa had different things to do other than The Morning Show at the time, so it was a reasonable move and actually made sense, so we went back to audition a few more people and eventually landed with Kylie (Gillies) on the couch. , which was just a magnificent result.”
The situation could have made for some awkward run-ins over the years, but instead, Emdur said he and Wilkinson now “laugh about it all the time.”
It’s not the only juicy Logies-related incident revealed by Emdur in the podcast – he also lifted the lid on his wild Logies afterparty with friends star Matt LeBlanc in 1998.
According to Emdur, the American actor had been looking “so bored” during the lengthy evening that he’d felt compelled to try and turn his night around.
“I was standing at the bar and in walks Matt LeBlanc with an entourage around him, and he just looked so bored,” Emdur told I’ve Got News For You.
“So I convinced the barman to give me a bottle of Sambucca for Matt, and I went over to him and I said, ‘Hey, do you want a Sambucca? You look so bored’, and he went, ‘Are you Italian?’ and I said, ‘No, does it matter?’ and he went, ‘No, let’s go!’
The result, Emdur explained, was that they ended up drinking “every bottle of Sambucca in Crown Casino” that evening.
“It was a very, very funny night … We were like two very, very naughty little schoolboys,” the TV host said.
He then revealed that LeBlanc had left a note under the door of the hotel room he was sharing with his wife Sylvie, which read: “Dear Sylvie, your husband got me very drunk. Love Matt.”
The new season of The Masked Singer started with a bang on Sunday night, with the first contestant revealed as an Aussie TV legend.
And after a surprisingly solid rendition of the Ed Sheeran hit Bad Habitsthe knight was unmasked as none other than veteran Neighbors actor Ryan Moloney – aka Ramsay Street legend Toadfish!
The knight’s clues had teased that he was “the closest thing Australia has to true royalty” – and we can’t argue with that. But despite his ubiquity on our screens for almost three decades, he got away with his brief stint on the show without anyone from the judging panel or seemingly any viewers guessing his true identity. With neighbors finally finishing up last week, could a new singing career be on the horizon for Ryan Moloney?
Here’s who else performed on Sunday’s premiere – and who we think they really are:
The Blowfly
In their clues package, the Blowfly was shown playing cricket, said he loves “cruising in his big V8” and proclaimed that he’s “Aussie as.” There were also a couple of references to “High Fives.”
The Blowfly then performed a gravelly rendition of Miley Cyrus’ midnight sky – and between all those ocker clues and the Barnsey-esque vocals, I’m pinning the Blowfly as former australian idol runner-up Shannon Noll – and many viewers on social media have the same idea.
The judging panel was leaning sporty though, picking Freddie Flintoff, Daniel Ricciardo and, er… Stevie Nicks (good try, Hughesy).
mirror ball
Some puzzling clues for the Mirrorball, who was shown standing in front of a Mexican flag and the number 48. She was also shown lounging on a piano adorned with framed photos of pulp fiction stars Uma Thurman and John Travolta.
Things got even trickier when the Mirrorball launched into her performance of the Olivia Newton-John classic Xanadu – sounding just like Livvy herself. Surely not?
Many viewers on social media have claimed the Mirrorball as former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton, who was previously rumored to be a contestant on this season. She can certainly sing, has Mexican heritage-and she appeared in the 2005 movie be coolstarring… Uma Thurman and John Travolta.
And diehard Pussycat Dolls fans are convinced: A top PCD fan account posted a YouTube preview of the Mirrorball’s performance several weeks ago under the title ‘MELODY THORNTON ON MASKED SINGER AUSTRALIA.’
On the judging panel, Chrissie Swan guessed Olivia Newton John’s daughter Chloe Lattanzi, but I’m less convinced – Chloe is a singer but doesn’t quite have her mum’s high vocals.
Mel B seemed to have a brainwave mid-performance, insisting she “knows that voice” – she’s absolutely convinced it’s Aussie singer Samantha Jade. Given Mel B was a judge on the season of Australia’s Got Talent that Jade won, it seems like the most realistic guess from the panel.
Zombie
There’s an airplane theme to Zombie, who was shown in her clues package as an air stewardess. “I’m not as green as I used to be – or as orange. Would you care for a baked potato?” she asked. hmm. There were also references to opera singers and Wicked Witches among her clues about her.
The Zombie delivered an, ahem, limited performance of the Ava Max song Sweet But Psycho – to these ears, this seems to suggest the Zombie isn’t a professional singer – but many viewers on social media seem convinced that the Zombie is former Wiggle Emma Watkins. If so, um… first night jitters?
Chrissie Swan had other ideas though, guessing Broadway great Idina Menzel (Chrissie, I think you owe Idina an apology for that one). The rest of the panel were on the ‘non-professional singer’ wavelength though, with Mel B guessing supermodel Heidi Klum, Dave Hughes guessing Boost Juice founder Janine Allis, and Abbie guessing Aussie actress Kate Ritchie.
thong
According to the clues package, the Thong is an “Aussie icon with the background overseas,” who’s “better known for their work with M&M.” Oh, and they love fish.
Based on her performance of footloose, I’d guess the Thong is also another non-professional singer – it was a very Friday night karaoke performance. Chrissie guessed Bindi Irwin, Mel B picked surfer Stephanie Gilmore, Hughesy guessed English singer Dido (what? Why?) and Abbie guessed MasterChef and survivor star Khanh Ong.
This one’s got me stumped – it’s hard to pick when it’s clearly someone who’s not known for their singing!
And it seems there’s no real consensus among viewers on social media, with more than a few pitching their votes for Chrissie’s guess, Bindi Irwin.
The remaining five Masked Singer contestants will perform in Monday’s episode, with another celeb unmasked at the end of the night.
Karl Stefanovic and his wife Jasmine are the latest big names to be spotted on-board James Packer’s luxury yacht in the south of France.
The 54-year-old Australian billionaire welcomed the Today co-host, 47, his shoe designer wife, 38, and their two-year-old daughter Harper for a day out on the $283 million boat in newly-emerged photos taken last week.
Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, 41, also joined in on the fun, and was spotted with his rumored girlfriend, Jasmine’s younger sister Jade Yarbrough, 30.
The pair were understood to have been introduced by Stefanovic earlier this year, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph in July.
Earlier today Yarbrough, who runs an interior design company, uploaded an Instagram story with a photo of herself and Clarke strolling the streets of the French Riviera.
Meanwhile, Stefanovic is currently enjoying some time off-air, with co-host Allison Langdon being joined on the Channel 9 breakfast show by Nine reporter Charles Croucher.
Packer has been making headlines amid his lengthy stint overseas, which has seen him host a slew of big names on his yacht including actor and business partner Robert De Niro.
He’s also recently opened up about his new-found health kick which has seen him lose 33kg, telling The Weekend Australian in June that he was ready to start the “third act” of his life as he looks towards a return to Australia following a controversial period for Crown Casino.
“I’m roughly 130kg now and want to be back to 100kg by the end of 2022,” Packer told the publication.
Packer admitted that it “hasn’t been appropriate” to be in Australia amid years of scandals at Crown Casino – which he previously owned a major stake of – including staff getting jailed in China, and several inquiries which found the casino operator enabled money laundering and links to criminal gangs.
With the $8.9 billion sale of his company shares to US private equity firm Blackstone’s finalized on June 24, which saw Packer pocket an enormous $3.36 billion, he’s now ready to plan his return home.
“I want to swim with my kids at Bondi when we’re all in Sydney together next year and be 100kg,” he added.
On the love front, Packer has regularly been joined on his yacht by Danish model Josefine Hanning Jensen, who was recently identified by Confidential.
There’s no word yet on whether Packer and Jensen are romantically linked, or whether she will join him when he eventually heads back to Sydney.
Former Australian swimmer turned popular TV presenter Johanna Griggs says Kyle Chalmers is “feeding” the very headlines he’s railed against at the Commonwealth Games as she issued a reality check about the media’s role in covering sport.
The swimming star has blasted the media in Birmingham, accusing it of focusing on “clickbait” rather than the impressive results of our men and women in the pool.
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There have been reports and speculation about an icy dynamic within the Dolphins camp, sparked by the relationship between Chalmers, Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson.
Chalmers and McKeon were romantically linked last year and now the 28-year-old superstar is dating Simpson — who is competing in England as part of his first ever Australian team since ditching his music career and returning to competitive swimming.
The trio have repeatedly denied their relationship has caused any friction.
Chalmers cast doubt on his future in the sport if what he called “fake headlines” continued to be thrust into the spotlight, saying the media doesn’t understand the impact his stories have on athletes’ mental health.
However, Griggs — who won a backstroke bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games — says Chalmers is only giving the story more oxygen by continually mentioning it in interviews and on social media.
“The only person who is going to potentially derail (his campaign) — although it certainly didn’t look like it this morning in his 100m freestyle — could be Kyle himself,” Griggs told Sydney’s 104.9 Triple M Breakfast with MG, Jess & Pagey.
“He seems to be feeding it, which is the ironic situation with all these sorts of things.
“You can’t just expect the headlines to always be great. You have to accept that occasionally they might be about other people and sometimes they may not necessarily show you in the same light.
“Do I think they (the headlines) are affecting Emma McKeon? Absolutely not.
“She’s amazing, right. So she’s proven, without question, that she is able to compartmentalize whatever’s going on.
Johanna Griggs dropped some truth bombs on Kyle Chalmers.Source: SuppliedChalmers is swimming brilliantly despite his concerns. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
Griggs, who is part of Channel 7’s team covering the Games, also suggested the freestyle king needs to accept headlines aren’t always going to be positive in the world of professional sport.
“I think it would be tedious for them, being asked about it non-stop,” Griggs told Triple M.
“If you’re a tennis player, that happens not only at every major tournament, it happens at every press conference, it happens at every week — same as the footballers, week in, week out.
“It’s the reality of sport so I’m hoping Kyle stops feeding it.
“I get he’s feeling incredibly swamped at the moment. Every time he mentions it, he makes it a bigger story.”
Chalmers has won gold medals in Birmingham as part of Australia’s mixed relay team and in the 4x100m men’s freestyle relay.
After his impressive swim in the heats of the individual 100m freestyle event, the 24-year-old was asked how he was feeling.
“Terrible. Terrible. It’s been probably the hardest 12 hours in my sporting career for sure,” he said. “It is extremely hard. Extremely challenging.
“When you’re on the other side of the world and don’t have your direct support network around you it’s already hard enough, let alone last night.”
Chalmers was referring to the previous day’s press conference, which was stopped after a barrage of questions about his dynamic with Simpson and McKeon.
He said the way the situation has unfolded left his mum in tears when they spoke after the relay victory.
“I really feel I don’t deserve any of that and to be honest with you, it makes me question why I do this sport and where my future lies going forward,” Chalmers said.
“I don’t want any of this. I swim because it’s what I’m good at. I love swimming. I love being part of the Australian swimming team. Standing up in front of big crowds and swimming fast, but I don’t want the rest of it.
“And for me it’s taking too much of a toll on my mental health. It embarrasses me that my family, my grandparents have to sit down and read the stuff that gets put in the media.
“It upsets me that I have to go home to my mum crying on FaceTime to me.”
Emma McKeon’s relationship with Cody Simpson has generated plenty of headlines. Picture: Emma McKeon/InstagramSource: Supplied
He may be upset out of the water but in the pool, Chalmers looks as classy as ever. The South Australian — who won 100m freestyle gold at the Rio Olympics and silver at last year’s Tokyo Games — is eyeing off another medal in his pet event this week.
Chalmers crushed his 100m freestyle semi-final on Monday morning, touching the wall first and setting a new Commonwealth Games record time of 47.36 seconds.
Australian swimming champion Cate Campbell is working for Channel 7 in Birmingham and praised Chalmers for how he’s handling things during their poolside interview on Monday morning, before talk turned to his tattoos and what they symbolize.
“I’ve had three heart surgeries, I have a chain (tattoo) that is broken because my heart was holding me back and now it’s fixed,” Chalmers said.
“I’m the lion (tattoo) that’s broken out. So yeah, that’s a special one for me.”
Chalmers added he’s been brilliantly supported by those closest to him.
“I don’t have anything else to say, it’s rough,” he said. “It’s been a whirlwind. It’s nice to swim fast. I think it’s easy to put on a brave face and smile. It’s hard, it’s very hard.
“The team has been amazing.
“I just wanted to put my headphones on and switch off and not talk, (but) all of my teammates, coaches and staff coming up and saying they are there for me has been really special. I wouldn’t have been able to get through it without my teammates.
“I’m not a robot. We have feelings, we have emotions, we’re no different than anyone else. We struggle a lot, mental health is a huge thing in sport.”
