The radio DJs at the centre of the royal phone hoax say they are devastated over the death of the nurse who took their call.
Jacintha Saldanha was found dead on Friday (10.12.12), in what was an apparent suicide, 48 hours after the broadcast of an early-morning prank call in which Mel Greig and Michael Christian posed as Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, asking about the health of Duchess Catherine.
They had rang the King Edward VII Hospital in London, where Catherine was being treated for acute morning sickness, and were put through to one of the duchess’ nurses by Jacintha.
And now the Australian DJs have spoken out over their devastation about the mother-of-two’s tragic death.
Mel – who impersonated the queen in the prank call for their 2DayFM radio show – said: “There is not a minute that goes by where we don’t think about her [Jacintha’s] family and what they must be going through. The thought that we may have played a part in that is gut wrenching.”
Mel also said she wanted to get in touch with Jacintha’s family to let them know she was thinking of them.
She tearfully told Australian TV show ‘A Current Affair’: “I have thought about this a million times in my head, that I just wanted to reach out to them and just give them a big hug and say sorry. I hope they are OK, I really do.” Michael added: “I just hope that they get the love, the support, the care that they need.”
Jacintha’s 49-year-old husband said he was “devastated” by her death while her 14-year-daughter Lisha posted on Facebook: “I miss you. I love you.”
