Ally Langdon has broken her silence on the apparent “snub” she copped from Tracy Grimshaw before she took over her hosting role on A Current Affair.
Langdon, who previously hosted Today alongside Karl Stefanovic for three years, even poked fun of the viral moment in November last year as rumours emerged of tensions between the two women.
The video in question was filmed as Grimshaw walked through a guard of honour at the Channel 9 studio following her final show as the ACA host, where she appeared to reject Langdon’s embrace.
Now, Langdon has opened up on the moment and the coverage surrounding the video, saying she was disheartened to see the media pitting women against one another.
Appearing on Stellar magazine’s Something To Talk About podcast, she said, “It’s a great narrative of women hating women, but I’m sorry … It’s not the truth.”
“I’ve got to say, [subsequent reporting of the video] was hurtful in the sense that I’ve worked so hard and for something that’s so important to me – female relationships in this business – for that to be taken that way, I really didn’t like it.”
At the time, Grimshaw defended not embracing Langdon by saying she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, and there was no ill intent.
However, Langdon shared another reason why Grimshaw skipped her as she said her goodbyes.
“Trace sent me a great message very early that morning – which is good of her, because I know she was singing karaoke at [her farewell party at Sydney bar] The Pickled Possum until about two in the morning. So well done her for being up at 6am,” Langdon began.
“I think the problem was that she knew I was the new host – it hadn’t yet been announced – so she and I had been talking a lot. And I think in that moment, she’s overwhelmed because, if you know Trace, she hates a fuss.”
“So we’re all standing and cheering her, and it wasn’t her favourite place to be. And it was like, ‘Gee, hang on, if I give Ally a hug and that gets snapped, then [people might know she’s the new host].’”
After Grimshaw’s departure from A Current Affair, Langdon took over hosting duties in January 2023.
Image credits: Instagram / Twitter
This article first appeared on Over60.