Australian TV reporter Alex Cullen stood down after accepting $55,000 from billionaire Adrian Portelli

(L-R) Adrian Portelli and Alex Cullen. Photo / @adrian_portelli / Nine

Popular Today show presenter Alex Cullen has been taken off air after he accepted a AU$50,000 ($55,000) gift from Adrian Portelli for following The Block billionaire’s instructions during a recent broadcast.

Cullen’s employer, the Nine network, tell news.com.au it is taking the matter “extremely seriously” and is arranging for the funds to be returned.

Known for his splashy, attention-grabbing antics – including buying every single house at auction during The Block’s 2024 season finale – billionaire businessman Portelli recently announced he was sick of the “Lambo man” nickname frequently used to refer to him in public (so-named for his first appearance on The Block, when he arrived at the show’s season 18 auctions in an eye-catching Lamborghini).

So last week he put a call out to the media: A $50,000 prize to the first journalist or presenter who would publicly refer to him by his new preferred nickname, “McLaren Man”.

Cullen obliged, calling Portelli by the new nickname on air during the Today show on Friday morning. He even shared footage of the moment on his Instagram account afterwards, tagging Portelli in the post.

Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli. Photo / @adrian_portelli

And it seemed Portelli was true to his word, announcing “We have a winner! Well played, sir” on top of a screenshot of a bank transfer that appeared to show he had indeed sent $50,000 straight to Cullen’s bank account.

It was an extraordinarily public transaction, showing one of Nine’s top presenters apparently pocketing a huge amount of money for following one very rich man’s instructions during a broadcast.

Not surprisingly, Cullen’s employer did not appear too pleased with what had unfolded.

“Nine is taking this matter extremely seriously,” a Nine spokesperson said in a statement to news.com.au this morning.

“Appropriate action has been promptly taken, including arranging for the funds to be returned.

“While we review the circumstances in which this occurred, Alex has agreed to stand down.”

Alex Cullen shared evidence on Instagram that he had gone through with the challenge, with Adrian Portelli promptly paying him. Photo / @alextcullen

Several points in the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance Journalist Code of Ethics relate to the acceptance of cash and gifts. The code states that journalists should not “allow any payment, gift or benefit, to undermine your accuracy, fairness or independence”, and that they should “not improperly use a journalistic position for personal gain”.

A journalist of more than 20 years’ experience, Cullen has worked as a news and sports reporter and spent many years as a reporter on Seven’s Sunday Night programme before moving back to Nine in 2019.

As news of the controversy spread, Portelli took to Instagram to speak out, focusing his attention against journalists who still refer to him using his hated “Lambo guy” nickname.

“I wanted to show the media that I do have a large platform as well, and I’m not afraid to use it. Maybe be a bit more respectful, and I’ll respect you guys as well,” he said in a video posted on Saturday night.

News.com.au contacted Cullen for comment yesterday.