The one-man wrecking ball responsible for reopening the successful defamation trial against Bruce Lehrmann also played a role in another infamous Channel Seven debacle.
Presenter Matt Doran shot to worldwide fame after failing to listen to Adele’s new album before having an exclusive chat with her in London in November 2021, which was part of a $1 million package deal Seven signed with the ‘Hello’ hitmaker .
The 41-year-old Weekend Sunrise presenter was suspended for two weeks by the channel and forced to eat a simple pie after Adele’s record label Sony refused to release the images.
But it has since emerged that Taylor Auerbach was the producer on the fateful trip to London.
Auerbach is the ex-Spotlight journalist who last week opened Lehrmann’s libel trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.
He gave evidence for two days after issuing a 2,300-page affidavit alleging the Seven Network covered the costs of lavish dinners, cocaine and Thai prostitutes for Mr Lehrmann.
Clearly, we are no strangers to controversy. Media insiders are now claiming that Auerbach should have taken the blame along with Doran for Adele’s botched interview.
“It’s the producer’s job on these types of stories to make sure all the research is done and the reporter has everything they need,” a Seven source told The Australian’s. Media diary.
Presenter Matt Doran (pictured) achieved global infamy after failing to listen to Adele’s new album before having an exclusive chat with her in London in November 2021, which was part of a $1 million package deal Seven signed with the ‘Hello’ hitmaker (pictured below)
Matt Doran shared a selfie on Instagram on the day of the interview, showing producer Taylor Auerbach grinning next to a cameraman with Tower Bridge in the background (pictured)
“But when that Adele thing blew up, Taylor couldn’t take any of the heat publicly.”
Daily Mail Australia approached Mr Auerbach for comment.
Doran shared a selfie on Instagram on the day of the interview, showing Mr Auerbach grinning next to a cameraman with Tower Bridge in the background.
‘Back to work with the boys! This one is going to be pretty special…,” Doran captioned the post.
Reports later surfaced that an ‘offended’ Adele had ‘stormed out’ of the interview after Doran told her he had only heard one song from her latest release.
Sony, which had filmed the interview instead of Seven, responded by banning the network from broadcasting any part of it.
Doran claimed he ‘missed’ an email with a link to the new album the day after they arrived in London.
“It was a mistake, but not an intentional censure,” he said.
“This is the most important email I’ve ever missed.”
It is unclear whether Mr Auerbach also received the same email.
Doran said he was “mortified and unequivocally apologetic” by the episode.
“This story has sparked an outpouring of abuse and ridicule from around the world – and if I’m honest, I deserve and own most of this cruelty,” he said.
But the TV personality also denied reports that Adele had ‘stormed out’ and insisted they spoke for another nine minutes after he admitted he had not listened to the album.
Seven reportedly spent $1 million on the ill-fated interview, in a deal that also saw them air an Oprah chat with Adele and footage from her One Night Only concert.
Doran found himself in trouble again in June last year when he went missing while reporting on the Hunter Valley bus crash.
When he didn’t show up at his place at Sunrise, concerned colleagues contacted police.
He was found a short time later and did not return to the air for several weeks.
Mr Auerbach (photo) blew open Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation lawsuit last week
At the time of Adele’s interview, Mr. Auerbach was a producer at Spotlight.
The blunder does not appear to have affected his career as he worked on a number of major interviews.
These include an exclusive interview with fraudster Melissa Caddick’s husband and Bruce Lehrmann’s two-part series.
Last week, Auerbach claimed he was offered a promotion and a raise after spending $10,000 on Thai massages while trying to woo Lehrmann.
Seven networks deny that he was offered a promotion. Mr. Lehrmann denies ever having had a massage.