Channel 7 star Mel McLaughlin savages Marty Sheargold’s ‘pathetic’ Matildas comments

Highly respected Channel 7 sports presenter Mel McLaughlin has voiced her anger and disappointment in the unhinged comments made by Triple M comedian Marty Sheargold.

Sheargold shocked the country with his sexist on-air rant about the Matildas, and Triple M revealed late on Wednesday that the network had parted ways with the disgraced radio veteran.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Mel McLaughlin speaks out on Sheargold’s Matildas attack.

Some of Australia’s greatest athletes immediately condemned Sheargold for his comments, and Football Australia also released a statement.

A passionate McLaughlin also felt compelled to speak at the end of her sports segment on Seven on Wednesday.

“Just a word on the bizarre, pathetic, and embarrassing comments we heard earlier regarding our mighty Matildas,” McLaughlin said on Seven.

“They obviously do not represent how any of us feel, and hopefully all the girls and boys out there know that.”

McLaughlin also pointed to the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which was streamed live and free on Channel 7 to record TV audiences.

“Record World Cup numbers and ongoing sold-out stadiums continue to speak volumes,” McLaughlin said.

“This is by no means a backward step on how far we’ve come and women’s football, and women’s sport in general, as we know guys, is awesome.”

As part of Sheargold’s wild rant, he claimed “there’s something wrong with the Matildas” after their consecutive defeats at the SheBelieves Cup in the USA.

“You know what they remind me of? Year 10 girls,” Sheargold said.

“Now I’m sorry to undermine the whole sport, but that’s what I think of it, so you can stick it up your arse.”

He then added a layer of homophobia to the misogny.

“Oh, she believes in what? It better be men.”

He then later claimed he would rather “hammer a nail through the head of my penis” than watch the Matildas play in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia next year.

After first saying sorry for the offence, Triple M then later said Sheargold and the network had mutually parted ways.

“Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) takes its responsibility to listeners, shareholders, and clients seriously and its programming should align with the standards and expectations of its audience,” the network said in a statement.

“Right now, it’s clear this is a moment for reflection and review.

“Triple M, and the wider SCA network, will continue to take all necessary steps to support staff.

“A new Drive show will be announced in due course. Triple M acknowledges Marty’s contribution over the past four years, and we wish him well for the future.”

After first calling it comedy that “missed the mark”, Sheargold’s second statement showed more remorse.

“I fully understand the gravity of my comments,” he said.

“I’d like to sincerely apologise to the Matildas and the broader organisation.

“I would also like to thank my immediate team for their hard work and apologise for the situation they now find themselves in.”

Sheargold went to ground on Wednesday and did not appear on his regular afternoon show.

Hours later it was revealed he and Triple M were no more.

Sheargold has made headlines for the wrong reasons previously.

In 2023 reports emerged that he was ejected from a corporate box at the AFL grand final after allegedly making a number of X-rated comments to guests.

He took personal leave from his Triple M breakfast show after that incident.

“I am not about to start making excuses but I had been sober for about three or four months and my grand final day got very large on me very quickly,” he later said in the fallout.

After the grand final incident, he left the Triple M breakfast show, but returned to the network’s drive slot.

Sheargold was also under fire last year for making allegedly anti-semitic on-air comments.