Duchess of Cambridge hoax call:2Day FM faces backlash ,Radio DJs taken off air

Rhys Holleran said DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian were "completely shattered" by the death of Jacintha Saldanha, 46.

Two Australian radio jockeys, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who made a hoax call to the hospital pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles have been taken off the air as a mark of respect after the nurse who took the call apparently killed herself.

It said the presenters, Mel Grieg and Michael Christian,"are both deeply shocked" over news of the nurse's death.   "SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be  described as a tragedy."

The presenters had faced growing calls for their dismissal, with hundreds of angry comments posted on 2Day FM Facebook page while an online petition calling for them to be sacked for "gross misconduct" has already attracted more than  1,300 signatures.

 Greig and Christian apologised after an uproar in Britain over the hoax but the station milked the publicity as the "biggest royal prank ever".

Meanwhile,Southern Cross Austereo  has suspended  advertising on the station until an investigation into the issue has concluded.


Australians across the country expressed shock and disbelief at the tragic death of Jacintha Saldanha. A spokesman for the Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard said in a statement: ''This is a terrible tragedy. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.''

"Southern Cross Austereo and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world," the station said in a statement on its Facebook page.
  

 Holleran, who is chief executive of Southern Cross Austereo which owns 2Day FM, said he did not think any laws had been broken.

Rhys Holleran, head of the Austereo network, which owns the radio station 2Day FM, said on Saturday the presenters could not have "reasonably foreseen" the events which unfolded.

"We are very confident that we haven't done anything illegal. We are satisfied that the procedures we have in place have been met," he said.

"Our main concern at this point in time is that what has happened is deeply tragic and we are incredibly saddened and we are incredibly affected by that."

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, a nurse at the private hospital treating the pregnant Duchess was found dead three days after taking the hoax call from the 2Day FM presenters.