Ally Langdon has set the record straight on being “snubbed” by Tracy Grimshaw last week.
Speaking on KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O this morning, the new A Current Affair host admitted footage of her predecessor appearing to reject her embrace after her final show looked “pretty brutal”, but was adamant it was nothing to do with their relationship.
The headline-making clip saw Grimshaw walking through a guard of honour as she left the Channel 9 studio on Thursday night, appearing to ignore Langdon as she leant in for a hug, leading to speculation of tension between the pair.
Asked about the awkward moment, Langdon said she, too, was slightly taken aback at the time.
“It’s pretty brutal when you watch the video, and I did say to Karl when it happened, like ‘Grimshaw just snubbed me!’,” Langdon revealed, going on to explain that she had been speaking to Grimshaw earlier that day.
“I had been talking to her as she was driving in that morning, about her last show and how she was feeling, so it wasn’t a deliberate snub. I love Trace,” she said, adding: “It looked really bad, I get that.
“She did text at about 7 O’clock in the morning which was very good of her because I know how late she was up the night before.”
Langdon went on to forward the message to Kyle Sandilands’ fill-in co-host Brittany Hockley for transparency.
While it wasn’t read aloud, it is understood to be the same text shared on Today, which read: “I’m so sorry I missed you, was so overwhelmed and obviously didn’t see your petite head once Karl’s big boofhead loomed into vision. Argh, big sorry x.”
“I hate that idea of women being pitted against each other and what have you,” Langdon said.
“Tracy has talked me through this whole process, I’ve had so many chats with her about that taking over and sitting in that chair. I hosted her 40 years at Channel 9, you don’t get someone you don’t like to do that.
“I just hate that she made the most amazing farewell speech on ACA that night, she came out, she was very overwhelmed, and the next day a lot of the chat was about ‘the snub’ … rather than her really beautiful final words about the audience.”
It comes after Grimshaw explained that she was simply “flustered” as her colleagues bid her farewell after 17 years on the ACA desk.
“It’s come to my attention that some people are seriously suggesting I snubbed Ally here,” Grimshaw, 62, wrote on Twitter.
“Of course I didn’t and wouldn’t. I was emotional, flustered and completely overwhelmed and just didn’t see her.”
Langdon’s new role was announced in a press release on Sunday, with the departing Today co-host saying it was “daunting” to be taking on the coveted position.
“It is such an incredible honour to be joining the A Current Affair team. A show I love, respect and have been watching since I was in school and Jana Wendt was host,” the journalist began.
“I won’t lie – it’s daunting to be stepping into the role that Tracy has so brilliantly navigated for the past 17 years, with such warmth and compassion.
“I hope to bring my own warmth and compassion to the show as we continue to tell great stories that matter to our amazing viewers.”
Langdon will be replaced on Today by Sarah Abo, with her final show scheduled for Friday morning.