Murdoch, the daughter-in-law of media baron Rupert Murdoch, was close to tears after realising she had mistakenly announced a Sydney 19-year old Kelsey Martinovich as the winner of the Foxtel TV series during the live finale.
Martinovich had completed her acceptance speech before Murdoch backtracked on stage to reveal the real winner from a public vote was 18-year-old Gold Coast rival Amanda Ware.
“I don’t know what to say right now. I’m feeling a bit sick about this,” Murdoch told a 2,000-strong live audience.
“I’m so sorry. Oh my God, I don’t know what to say. This is what happens when you have live TV folks, this is insane, insane, insane.”
Foxtel is owned by Australian phone company Telstra, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and Consolidated Media Holdings.
Foxtel publicity director Jamie Campbell on Wednesday blamed a miscommunication between series directors in a broadcasting truck control room and Murdoch on stage.
Series judge and fashion designer Alex Perry told Sydney radio that Murdoch had made a genuine mistake, denying accusations in media reports that the bizarre mix-up was a publicity stunt.
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