A former Nine Network colleague has accused embattled broadcaster Chris Smith of exposing his genitals and pushing her up against a wall during an office party 24 years ago.
Sally, which is not her real name, alleged Smith had his zipper undone during a leaving party as she end her stint at Channel Nine’s flagship show A Current Affair in Artarmon, Sydney in 1998 – and said he only got a ‘slap on the wrist’ for it.
The fresh allegations came after Smith, 60, was dramatically sacked from his TV host role at Sky News Australia and from his radio show on 2GB this week.
It was alleged he was drunk and behaved badly towards women at a Sky Christmas bash last weekend.
The media personality has since apologised ‘profusely’ to the women he hurt this month, admitting he had a problem with alcohol which sends him ‘manic’.
The female staff member said former Sky News Australia host Chris Smith (pictured) approached her while he was ‘a bit drunk’ and had his pants unzipped with his genitals exposed in 1998
The female staff member told the Daily Telegraph Smith approached her while he was ‘a bit drunk’ at a Channel Nine do farewelling herself and two other colleagues, the show’s senior producer Fiona McKenzie and reporter Michael Willesee Jr.
Smith was her chief-of-staff at A Current Affair at the time, while she was the youngest worker in the office after scoring her job at the network straight out of university.
The program’s employees got together for the shindig at the network’s ritzy third-floor boardroom.
‘We were in that boardroom. We were all having drinks and relaxing and I was in the middle of it all when Chris came lurching and swaying up to me, clearly already a bit drunk,’ she said.
‘I’m paraphrasing here, but he said something along the lines of “I want to f*** you, you’re f****** hot” and then I looked down, his pants zip is undone and his penis is hanging out.’
She alleged she was shocked at the time and tried to get away from Smith and went around a corner – but he followed her.
A woman has alleged Smith had his zipper undone at a farewell staff party when she was ending her stint at Channel Nine’s flagship show A Current Affair in Artarmon, Sydney in 1998
‘There he pushed me up against the wall, still with his penis hanging out, his drunken breath in my face, continuing to tell me how much he wanted me,’ she alleged.
The woman said she pushed him away, fleeing to the other side of the room and told the show’s receptionist about what had happened.
She said Smith then came and lurched over the pair, still with his genitals exposed, before she told him to zip himself up – which he didn’t do.
The staff member then hailed a passing senior colleague to help, who reportedly saw Smith’s exposed genitals and grabbed him by the collar before pulling him out of the boardroom.
The woman said she still has a photographic memory of the event because it was so distressing and remembers breaking out in a cold sweat and shaking.
The media personality has since apologised ‘profusely’ to the women he hurt at the Sky News Australia shindig last weekend, admitting his issues with alcohol sent him ‘manic’ (pictured, Smith and his dietician partner Susie Burrell)
To her shock the staffer told the Daily Telegraph Smith was never sacked over the incident but was just given a ‘slap over the wrist’.
She said he was banned from going to the Channel Nine bar and had his car taken away from him for six months.
She added she didn’t speak up about the incident because she feared it would affect her career, claiming rumours of the awful incident affected her attempts to get a good job in the industry.
Smith was demoted from his role as chief-of-staff at Nine Network’s A Current Affair after the incident – but he was caught out again.
The TV commentator was suspended for a time when he worked at 2GB following the station’s 2009 Christmas party.
It is alleged he behaved inappropriately towards several women and tried to kiss a female colleague.
The history of Smith’s indiscretions have been raised again after he attended Sky’s end-of-year celebrations at the Ivy Sunroom in Sydney last weekend before heading to the nearby Establishment with colleagues.
It was there he was accused of inappropriately touching a co-worker and making crude remarks to several others.
‘There he pushed me up against the wall, still with his penis hanging out, his drunken breath in my face, continuing to tell me how much he wanted me,’ she alleged
The comments allegedly brought a female colleague to tears at the Sky News shindig, with one co-worker striking him due to his offensive conduct.
He allegedly grabbed a female colleague by the bottom, prompting her to tell him to ‘f*** off’, according to a Sky News employee.
He also approached a woman and creepily commented about one of her Instagram photos from a holiday, saying she ‘had a lot of side boob going on’.
Three days after his inappropriate behaviour, Mr Smith was fired by Sky News Australia and 2GB.
It was the third time has been officially reprimanded for inappropriate behaviour in his 40 year career.
Smith has apologised for his conduct which he blamed on long-standing problems with alcohol and bipolar disorder, and has checked himself in a mental health facility.
‘I have a recurring problem with alcohol… it sends me manic,’ he said is a statement.
‘I am in a facility receiving professional help to deal conclusively with my abuse of alcohol and solve this once and for all, without qualification… it can and will be done.’
Daily Mail Australia approached Chris Smith for comment on this story.