Alex Cullen has confirmed his surprising new role, almost six months after he was fired from the Today show for accepting a $50,000 gift from controversial Block bidder Adrian Portelli.

In January, the presenter, 44, was given the sizeable sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli’s self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ live on air – sparking a firestorm which resulted in him leaving Channel Nine. 

He has now secured a new role as a sports presenter on Melbourne‘s Gold 1043.3’s top-rating breakfast program The Christian O’Connell Show.

Host Christian O’Connell confirmed the exciting news live on-air on Thursday.

‘Alex Cullen is brilliant journalist who is looking for a job! You might recognise the name, he’s the guy who took the $50,000… That’s our guy!’ Christian began.

In January, the presenter was given a sizeable sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli’s self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ live on air last week – sparking a firestorm which resulted in him leaving Channel Nine

In January, the presenter, 44, was given the sizeable sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli’s self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ live on air – sparking a firestorm which resulted in him leaving Channel Nine. Pictured: Adrian Portelli

Christian added the commercial radio sector had different rules than TV and so they were happy to welcome Alex to their team. 

‘Now Channel Nine might go, “Listen, we can’t have that”, but commercial breakfast radio… We are very much up for payola! Don’t worry Alex, you have found a home here, my friend,’ he said. 

Alex shared his excitement at joining the show in a statement.

‘This is such an exciting next chapter for me,’ he wrote.

‘I actually started my career in radio, so to be coming back to it and joining a show that’s so loved and so full of heart is a real thrill.

‘I can’t wait to be on air with Christian, Pats and Rio, and to get to know Melbourne – my family and I are thrilled to be making it our new home.’

He will officially join the show next month, after Christian’s co-star Jack Post announced his resignation last month. 

Earlier this year, Alex was axed from the Nine Network after he accepted $50,000 from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

Axed Channel Nine presenter Alex Cullen has confirmed his surprising new role, almost six months after he was fired from the Today show. He has secured a new role as a sports presenter on Gold 1043.3’s breakfast program The Christian O’Connell Show. Pictured together

Today host Karl Stefanovic made the announcement that Alex had left the network live on-air.

‘As most of you are well aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week,’ a solemn Stefanovic told viewers.

‘There has been widespread reporting on the circumstances surrounding this, what I can say is that last night, Alex and Nine agreed he would finish with the network.

‘Alex has, of course, been part of the Today family for five years now, he’s always ready with a smile and a laugh and without hesitation speaking for all of us here, we can say that we are going to miss him terribly.

‘A terrific fella, what you see is what you get and he has been a great mate to all of us over these years and we wish Alex, his wife Bonnie and his beautiful kids all the very best for the future.’

A Nine spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Nine has agreed with Today presenter and journalist Alex Cullen that he will finish with the network following a review into a recent incident.’

The scandal kicked off when Portelli had grown tired of his long-used nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new moniker on air, with Alex obliging on the Today show.

The Block entrepreneur then posted what appeared to be a bank transfer of $50,000 to the presenter on Instagram.

Accepting cash, gifts or benefits to undermine journalistic independence, and improperly using a journalistic position for personal gain, are both breaches of the journalism code of ethics as defined by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance union.

The ill-advised stunt led to Alex being suspended by Nine and he did not appear on the show while the network investigated the payment.

Nine’s parting of ways with Alex went ahead despite Portelli’s claim that the journalist intended the money to be paid to charity all along.

Network insiders also told Daily Mail Australia that the stunt could have been beneficial for the network and Portelli, if Alex had advised the promoter that, as a journalist, he was unable to accept any payment for making the comment on-air.

Portelli first received the unwanted nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ after turning up to a 2022 auction of popular house makeover show The Block in a yellow Lamborghini.