Bruce Lehrmann looking for new digs after his rent-free deal with TV network for beachside flat comes to an end
Bruce Lehrmann is on the hunt for a new home as his rent-free deal with the Seven Network comes to an end.
Mr Lehrmann’s rental property on the northern beaches was paid for by the broadcaster in return for an exclusive interview, but the broadcaster will stop paying the rent on April 21.
The currently unemployed former Liberal staffer, who has not worked full-time as of 2021, recently announced his intention to sue the ACT government for defamation in relation to comments made about it former Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold made the case outside court.
He is also facing new rape charges involving a Toowoomba woman, although the case has yet to go to trial. It’s clear he plans to plead not guilty.
The Seven Network will stop paying Bruce Lehrmann’s rent on April 21
Mr Lehrmann’s rental property on the northern beaches (pictured) was paid for by the broadcaster in return for an exclusive interview, but the broadcaster will stop paying the rent on April 21.
The 7News Spotlight program had provided the $4,000-a-month home for a tell-all interview that the network insists it did not pay for.
“7NEWS Spotlight did not pay Bruce Lehrmann for the interview, but the program assisted with accommodations as part of filming the story,” said executive producer Mark Llewellyn told news.com.au.
Mr. Lehrmann is currently studying law and lives with his golden retriever Sunny.
He agreed to the interview in April 2023 on the condition that 7News Spotlight would pay his rent for a year.
The network told the Walkleys Foundation that no money had been exchanged for the exclusive.
Court documents in Mr Lehrmann’s defamation case against the 10 Network and Lisa Wilkinson later revealed the size of the deal.
Under the agreement, he agreed to provide “all information, documents, video and photographs” requested by the Seven Network, but later insisted he had only provided the interview.
The interview between Mr Lehrmann and Liam Bartlett aired in May and promised to break Mr Lehrmann’s silence on the rape allegations against Brittany Higgins.
Documents provided to the Federal Court during Mr Lehrmann’s defamation trial revealed the extent of the deal between he and the Seven Network
The interview between Mr Lehrmann and Liam Bartlett aired in May, in which he gave his side of the story about Brittany Higgins’ allegations
In court, barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, appearing for The Project host Lisa Wilkinson, asked Mr Lehrmann whether it was ‘part of the agreement’ that the network paid his rent, to which he replied: ‘Yes… for filming in those places.’
When asked how much the deal was worth, Mr. Lehrmann claimed not to know the ‘network took care of the housing arrangements’.
Mr Lehrmann is suing Wilkinson and Network 10 in the Federal Court over her 2021 interview with Brittany Higgins on The Project, in which Ms Higgins first publicly alleged he raped her at Parliament House in 2019.
Although his name was not given, he claims friends and former colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.
He has consistently maintained his innocence regarding the charges.
READ MORE: Explosive never-before-heard Lehrmann audio
The Federal Court has released a trove of never-before-seen images and audio as part of Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation battle with Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson