Eddie`s ending reignites stoush

Happily departed ... Nine Network chief executive Eddie McGuire heads out of Sydney for his first winter holiday since he was 14 / Andrew Piper

• McGuire denies Rowe `boning` remark
• Former Nine news chief sticks by story
• McGuire `regrets damage` to Rowe and husband

THE resignation of Eddie McGuire as chief executive of the Nine Network has reignited a stoush with the network`s former news chief, Mark Llewellyn.

After quitting on Friday, McGuire told The Sunday Telegraph Llewellyn`s decision to produce an affidavit claiming McGuire told a Nine management meeting he wanted to "bone" star Jessica Rowe was an "ordinary" act.

A stunned Llewellyn, now with the rival Seven Network, said he could not believe McGuire was still denying the "boning" remark.

"I stand by my affidavit," Llewellyn told The Sunday Telegraph.

"If Mr McGuire really wanted to talk further about the contents of my affidavit, he could have instructed his lawyers to cross-examine me at the time, but he chose not to do that.

"This so-called `ordinary` act was not of my making; Eddie and Nine took me to court. I repeat, I stand by my affidavit."

McGuire, who quit as CEO to concentrate on his on-air role, was accused in the affidavit of saying: "What are we going to do about Jessica? When should we bone her? I reckon it should be next week."

He has always denied the comment, which has become part of the vernacular.

Told of Llewellyn`s comments late yesterday, McGuire rang The Sunday Telegraph 20 minutes before boarding a flight to Los Angeles.

"My point on that was that it`s one thing using ammunition to throw mud at us, but he slaughtered poor Jessica in the process," McGuire said.

McGuire also vented his frustration at Llewellyn being interviewed, and accused the journalist of supporting newsroom cutbacks.

"If people are prepared to ring, and put to paper the allegations of, a bloke who wrote a death wish in terms of redundancies in the newsroom, then snivelled out the back door ... and at the same time who burnt poor Jessica Rowe like a snag on the barbecue and is still carrying on (then that is up to you)."

In the earlier interview, McGuire expressed frustration that he was never able to defend himself legally against Llewellyn`s accusations.

"We didn`t ever get a chance to question that (Llewellyn`s affidavit).

"I`m bound by confidentiality to not go into the details of that.

"One day, I would very much like to. It`s always disappointing when somebody who`s a colleague, and an executive, is doing things in that manner."

Speaking from Canada on Friday night, Llewellyn said he was astonished that McGuire was still trying to take back his words.

But McGuire`s remarks suggested he deeply regretted the damage caused to Rowe and her husband, 60 Minutes reporter Peter Overton.

"It was something that had a negative impact on somebody in Jessica and Peter who it should never have happened to, because they are both good people."

McGuire said it helped "media" campaigns to destroy Rowe while she was hosting the Today show.

"I regretted that for some reason there was a media jihad placed upon Jessica Rowe and, throughout that period, it didn`t matter what happened, the papers were after her."

Seven news chief Peter Meakin said the alleged remark about Rowe had damaged McGuire.

"I don`t think Eddie would be disappointed if he never heard the word `bone` again," Meakin said.

"That didn`t help internal morale, and it didn`t help his position at the network."

McGuire attacked as "gutless" anonymous insiders at Nine that said they "only saw him in the social pages", adding that at least he no longer had to be "nice" to them.

"When was I in the social pages? I`ve hardly been in them - that`s bulls..t.

"And why am I not allowed to go to the footy any more?

"Am I meant to be playing golf and getting drunk all day? Is that what an executive is meant to do?"