A magazine cover featuring Erin Molan has sparked a ferocious backlash over the TV presenter’s strong stance supporting Israel in its conflict with Gaza.
This weekend’s edition of Stellar, which is published in News Corp’s Sunday newspapers, is being promoted on Instagram and some readers are furious that Molan appears on the front.
The former Sky News Australia host has publicly condemned Hamas since its raids on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023, and in recent months has been reporting from Israel on the Middle East war.
While some fans – including model and influencer Bec Judd – were quick to congratulate Molan on taking out the cover position, others could not see past her pro-Israel views.
‘No thanks Stella… No one I would support,’ wrote one. ‘So tone deaf,’ said another.
A third posted: ‘Free Palestine ps never reading this publication again.’
Several other users threatened to boycott Stellar. Some of the comments are too inflammatory to publish.
The Times of Israel ran a profile piece on Molan in May under the headline ‘Erin Molan vs. the world: From Australian news anchor to pro-Israel firebrand.’
The latest cover of Stella magazine featuring Erin Molan has sparked a brutal backlash over the broadcaster’s strong stance supporting Israel in the conflict over Gaza
While some fans including model and influencer Bec Judd were quick to congratulate Molan on taking out the cover position, others could not see past her pro-Israel views
‘Molan has found herself increasingly recognized in Israel, where people on the street often flock to her, eager to thank her for her support,’ it reported.
The story quoted Molan, who is Catholic, describing her reaction to the October 7 outrages.
‘It was never complex to me or grey or fuzzy,’ she said. ‘It was black and white as to who evil was in this scenario.’
Molan has maintained that stance amid Israel’s retaliation and the ongoing human crisis in Gaza.
Former Sky News Australia colleague Sharri Markson moved quickly last year to quash a conspiracy theory that Molan had been sacked from the network for her pro-Israel views.
In December, Markson wished Molan her well in her future pursuits and wrote on X that it was ‘categorically untrue’ the 41-year-old had been booted off Sky ‘because of her Zionism’.
Israeli news outlets had highlighted Molan’s repeated condemnation of Hamas in their reporting of the onetime Footy Show presenter’s removal by Sky.
Daily newspaper Israel Hayom referred to Molan’s response to the October 7 massacre in which more than 1,200 Israelis – mostly citizens – were killed and 254 taken hostage.
Molan (above) has publicly condemned Hamas since its raids on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023, and has recently been reporting from Israel on the Middle East war
‘Molan has been a vocal supporter of Israel on her Sky News Australia program,’ the newspaper stated.
‘Strongly condemning both Hamas’ actions against Israeli civilians and the pro-Hamas demonstrations that have erupted worldwide, repeatedly using her platform to address the ongoing war.’
Israel National News covered the presenter’s axing under the headline: ‘Sky News Australia fires pro-Israel host Erin Molan.’
‘Australian news anchor Erin Molan, who repeatedly defended Israel in the year since the October 7 massacre, has been fired by Sky News Australia,’ its story began.
Molan posted an impassioned nine-minute video to X in December, repeatedly mentioning the Middle East conflict and thanking everyone who had supported her.
‘So that’s done now,’ she said of her Sky job. ‘But I am not. In fact, I’m just getting started.
‘So I’m sorry to those who had hoped otherwise. I’m somewhat surprisingly much harder to kill off than you’d think.
‘You see the problem is – and it’s always been this way with me – I just care too much.
Molan has recently been reporting from Israel where she wrote on Instagram ‘brave soldiers are fighting to take on of the greatest threats to western civilisation’ (above)
‘About you, about the world, about a peaceful existence for every single child.’
Molan has called Hamas terrorists ‘blood-thirsty killers’ and said she would continue ‘fighting for every single hostage still captive in Gaza’.
Markson’s post on X came shortly after Molan’s video went live. ‘I have to clear up this notion that her departure from Sky is because of her Zionism – this is categorically untrue,’ she said.
‘No media outlet globally has shown more leadership or clarity on Israel’s fight against terrorism and our own battle against antisemitism than us at Sky News Australia and News Corp.’
Although network insiders suggested Molan was caught off-guard by the decision to cancel her show, Sky insisted they had ended their partnership with the host on amicable terms.
Molan presented her weekly news program, Erin, for the final time on November 29.
Molan presented her weekly news program, Erin, for the final time on November 29 last year
The decision to cancel Molan’s show comes just months after the breakfast radio program she co-hosted alongside comedians Dave Hughes and Ed Kavalee was scrapped by Southern Cross Austereo’s struggling 2DayFM station in August.
The cancellation of Molan’s two key hosting roles is understood to have come at a significant financial cost to the journalist.
Sources said she had been pulling in about $200,000 a year for her 2DayFM radio gig and a further $150,000 a year from her job with Sky.
Molan joined Sky News Australia in July 2022 after parting ways with Nine after 11 years at the network.
This year Molan has been hosting 69Minutes, ‘an exciting new weekly news show on X’ created by crypto-entrepreneur Mario Nawfal.
