Sunday programme pulls Veitch interview

TVNZ current affairs show Sunday has pulled an interview with former broadcaster Tony Veitch scheduled to screen tonight due to his fragile state of mind, the broadcaster said today.

Veitch disappeared from his Auckland home yesterday and was found by police hours later, reportedly in a highly distressed state in northern Waikato.

He pleaded guilty last week to injuring former girlfriend Kristin Dunne-Powell with reckless regard to her safety in 2006, and was fined $10,000 and given 300 hours of community work.

Tonight's Sunday programme was to air an interview by presenter Cameron Bennett but it was scrapped when news of Veitch's mental state came to light.

TVNZ current affairs editor John Gillespie said it didn't seem fair to Veitch or Ms Dunne-Powell "to air the interview knowing now that it was filmed when Tony was obviously unwell and his state of mind was fragile".

- NZPA