
Jessica Rowe is no stranger to the Australian media space.
With an extensive career in television dating back to the 90s, the 51-year-old has worked in presenting across each of Australia's commercial channels: Nine, Seven and Ten.
But it was her brief stint at Channel Nine's The Today Show that still strikes a nerve for the presenter.
Following the birth of her eldest daughter Allegra in 2007, it was reported that Nine station boss, Eddie McGuire threatened to "bone", or fire Rowe while she was on maternity leave.
"What are we going to do about Jessica? When should we bone her? I reckon it should be next week," McGuire allegedly said in a meeting with executives, as stated in a sworn affidavit issued at the time from Nine Network’s former Head of News, Mark Llewellyn.
"She's a laughing stock, and if we keep her on air we'll be the laughing stock."
Watch: Jessica Rowe on Eddie McGuire. Post continues below.
“I recall after having a meeting with various lawyers who told me they were ready to muscle up for a fight, I had a six-week-old baby at home. I remember coming home, I was all dressed up in my armour of makeup and business suit, and I remember lying on my front lawn while my mum patted my head because I felt like my world had fallen apart,” Rowe said of that time in an interview for Mumbrella360.
“I was being encouraged to ‘step aside’ because of the ‘challenges of motherhood’, and I very angrily rallied against, but I knew that I did not have the emotional energy or capacity to fight at that time. There was a big part of me that felt like I was letting my baby down.”
Adding to Rowe's heartache, was the new mum's struggle with post-natal depression.
And as the presenter unceremoniously left The Today Show, both her personal and professional life taking a heavy hit, her co-host, Karl Stefanovic emerged relatively unscathed.
Image: Nine.
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