“Footy Show”-ugly baby row: Australia’s “Footy Show” said that no harm was intended after it posted a photo of a baby called “ugly” on national TV, prompting criticism from the child’s parents.
“Regarding recent articles in News Ltd papers, the Look-A-Likes photo was sent into The Footy Show by a friend of the family and was not taken off Facebook,” the “Footy Show” said, according to Australia’s Daily Telegraph.
“We chose not to make a statement to News Ltd yesterday but we did not refuse to apologize to the family and we did speak to the family on Friday and will do so again today to reassure them we never intended to cause hurt to them or their child and of course apologize if it did,” the statement reads.
The parents, Michael and Melanie Richmond, who are from near Sydney, said they were shocked after their infant daughter was shown on Thursday’s episode without their permission.
“The fact is that somewhere, somehow, a producer has gotten a photo of my daughter and made the decision to put it on television. I know it’s supposed to be tongue in cheek but she’s just a baby. It’s not cool,” Michael Richomd told News.com.au.
The picture of the baby, which was lifted from Richmond’s Facebook account, was used as a comparison to commentator Peter Sterling.
“My husband took it on my first Mother’s Day last year on Palm Beach,” Richmond said. “I put the photo on Facebook that day so proud of my first Mother’s Day.”
