Georgie Gardner’s brutal two-word putdown to junior staffer revealed as new details emerge of THAT off-screen studio bust up

Television veteran Georgie Gardner delivered a scathing outburst to a young female producer, telling her to “grow up!” during a row over scripts.

Sources at Nine have revealed new details about the fiery explosion that saw Gardner disappear from the air after a complaint was made last month over the dispute with the studio.

The star newsreader, who earns $600,000 a year for presenting the news twice a week, lashed out at his junior colleague during the Saturday evening news bulletin, August 31.

A TV source told Daily Mail Australia the alleged incident arose over the way Gardner’s scripts were prepared before they went on air.

“Georgie came in in a terrible mood,” they said.

‘She found the overview unsatisfactory and also the way the introductions (to news items) were written was unsatisfactory. She actually said it was crap.

‘The mood was tense and she insisted on rewriting the intros herself.

‘The junior producer (whom Daily Mail Australia is not naming) said she wasn’t ready yet, prompting Georgie to chase her down and snap at her to ‘grow up’.’

According to the source, the heated discussion in the studio continued as the scripts were loaded into the autocue.

At least some of the exchange was reportedly recorded and turned over to management for an internal investigation after an official complaint was made.

“It was intense, but there were a lot of people there who saw the fight,” the source said.

Gardner was spotted looking stressed and disheveled on Monday after revelations emerged about her investigation into Nine over the alleged spray

Gardner was out of work as a news anchor for two weeks after the alleged altercation.

However, she was said to have been on leave and returned to work last Friday evening.

Nine has declined to comment publicly on the complaint against Gardner.

However, Fiona Dear, the network’s director of news and current affairs, said in a statement: “Georgie Gardner is a highly respected and long-standing member of our Nine News team.

“We will not be commenting further.”

For the well-paid Gardner, the internal investigation couldn’t have come at a worse time.

The longtime anchor’s contract is one of several being closely monitored by the company’s financial controllers as the cash-strapped network desperately tries to keep costs under control.

Gardner’s sky-high salary is a legacy of her short-lived stint as co-host of the network’s Today Show in 2019, alongside fellow newsreader Deb Knight, following Nine’s failed experiment with a new all-female line-up.

Georgie Gardner and Deb Knight co-hosted Nine’s Today morning program together for a year – along with then newsreader Tom Steinfort – in 2019 before the experiment was deemed a failure

The newsreader was seen wearing a ProCare ‘post-op’ shoe on her left foot as she drank her coffee on Monday, fueling speculation that her recent leave is related to medical tragedies

According to insiders within the network, the deal was “no longer justifiable” and she was among the stars expected to take a significant pay cut in the coming months.

Gardner remained behind closed doors on Sunday as news of the internal investigation into her alleged conduct became public.

There is no suggestion that Gardner has engaged in inappropriate behavior. It is merely stated that a complaint has been filed and an investigation is underway.

The star walked her dog through the tree-lined streets surrounding her Mosman home on Monday morning.

At one point, the well-known presenter was seen crying in her car during a long phone call.

The accusation isn’t the only battle Gardner is currently fighting.

The newsreader was seen wearing a ProCare “post-op” shoe on her left foot as she drank her coffee on Monday, fueling speculation that her recent leave was related to medical tragedies.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Gardner and Nine for comment.