Darren Wick reportedly not given ‘$1 million handshake’ by Nine
Former Nine news boss Darren Wick did not receive a “$1 million handshake”, according to a new report.
Last week, a Nine spokesperson confirmed that CEO Mike Sneesby signed off on an almost $1 million payment to Wick upon his retirement, saying Nine chair Peter Costello and the board “did not sign off on the settlement with Darren Wick; it was handled within our governance processes”, further clarifying, “Mike Sneesby signed off on it”.
However, according to The Daily Telegraph, multiples sources have claimed that Wick, who has been accused of sexually harassing an on-air personality, did not receive the payment by Sneesby without the approval of the board.
Instead, it’s reported that Wick received the payment, claimed to be over $500,000, as entitlements from his 26-year career with the media giant.
It comes after Maurice Blackburn – who is acting for the woman who filed a formal complaint against Wick – this week put out a call to women in the commercial television industry who have been affected by sexual harassment and unlawful discrimination.
The law firm put out a public statement saying it is “currently assisting a number of women in the commercial television industry to pursue claims of sexual harassment and unlawful discrimination”, but didn’t specify a particular network.
Meanwhile, the Nine board and Sneesby last week insisted they are on the same page following speculation that Sneesby is on the outer.
A statement sent to staff last week read that “the group leadership team is united with the board, and working closely, to ensure our workplace is one of respect, safety and inclusion”.
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Neil Griffiths is the Managing Editor of Mumbrella. He joined the company in October 2023.
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