Inside story behind Anthony Bell’s payout over Andrew Hornery column on Noosa brawl

Legal experts have revealed details about celebrity accountant Anthony Bell’s unprecedented apology and payment from Nine Entertainment.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, a leading legal source claimed that Bell was paid around $150,000 for a Private Sydney column by Andrew Hornery on January 22 in the Sydney Morning Herald, headlined “Michael Clarke, Anthony Bell and the hottest boys’ club.” intriguing Sydney”.

The article, which has been removed from the website, was among dozens of articles published in the wake of the now infamous altercation in Noosa earlier this month involving Clarke, his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough and Karl Stefanovic.

However, the article contained allegations about Bell and his Loyal charitable foundation that were “patently false”, prompting Bell to take legal action on January 23.

Australia’s two leading libel lawyers, Sue Crysanthou and Mark O’Brien, are understood to have led Bell’s legal charge, sending a note to the SMH within hours of publication to withhold any text or email related to the information. published in the article.

It is understood to be the first time Bell has taken legal action against the publication after years of mentions on both the gossip and news pages, notably during his split from ex-wife Kelly Landry in 2017.

“Anthony saw the piece as the last straw,” a source close to the fallout said.

“He had no idea that the item, or the key piece, was going to arrive. There had been no calls for comment in the days before. He just showed up and it was brutal.

“So brutality was met with brutality.”

Soon after, Nine Entertainment agreed to a ‘six-figure sum’ in compensation, said to be around $150,000.

(Both Nine and Bell have declined to comment.)

Nine also agreed with what was an unprecedented apology: a slavish, quarter-page mea culpa at the top of last Sunday’s Private Sydney column.

There was also a pointer to the apology on page 2 of the Sun-Herald print edition and it was prominently published online, soon becoming the most read gossip-related story on smh.com.au.

He was also featured on Bell’s personal Instagram page, with the accountant posting a piece of atonement featuring Pat Benatars’ ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ and Joe Esposito’s You’re The Best’ (from the Karate Kid soundtrack). ) playing in the background. .

The apology, reportedly crafted by Bell’s legal team and later printed verbatim, is understood to have become the talk of legal and media circles due to its size and prominence.

“A senior lawyer pointed out that it was the most outstanding apology they had seen in print in four decades,” a legal source said.

It is the highest-profile apology for the Herald since its chaotic handling of the Rebel Wilson saga in June 2022.

Once again, it was Hornery who was at the center of outrage, with the gossip columnist accused of forcing the Australian actress to come out after giving her a deadline to answer a question about her relationship with a woman.

The newspaper offered no fewer than three apologies in the days that followed and received a barrage of criticism from LGBTQI rights activists who argued that Wilson had essentially been forced into an “appalling situation.”

“These are personal decisions… who you disclose to first, how you disclose and when,” LGBTIQ+ Health Australia chief executive Nicky Bath said. The Guardian at the time.