Duchess Catherine

Duchess Catherine

One of the Australian DJs involved in the infamous royal hoax call has quit her job.

Mel Grieg has resigned from Sydney radio station 2Day FM and dropped legal action against her employer's parent company Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), which she had previously accused of failing to maintain a safe workplace by filing a claim with Fair Work Australia in July.

SCA has said the matter has been "amicably resolved" and Mel has resigned, with her employment due to officially come to an end on December 31.

The legal action came after Mel and her fellow 2Day FM DJ Michael Christian made a prank call to central London's King Edward VII's Hospital last December, where a then-pregnant Duchess Catherine was being treated for severe morning sickness.

The pair pretended to be Princes Charles and Queen Elizabeth and were put through to the duchess' ward by nurse Jacintha Saldanha which resulted in confidential information about the royal being disclosed by someone else.

Afterwards, the hoax call was broadcast around the world and Jacintha took her own life.

In a statement about Mel's resignation, SCA has reiterated its belief that recording and broadcasting the call was "not unlawful".

It reads: "Southern Cross Austereo greatly regrets the unforeseeable tragic aftermath of the call and the company and all of its people remain deeply saddened by the death of Jacintha Saldanha.

"Southern Cross Austereo has contributed a substantial amount to a trust which was recently established to assist Ms Saldanha's family. Mel Greig also wishes to pass on her personal condolences and regrets to the Saldanha family."

Despite her resignation, Mel is still due to give a statement to the UK coroner's inquest into Saldanha's death.


by for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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