Bernadine's paint-job has TV boss ropable

By KEITH PERRY

Sports presenter Bernadine Oliver-Kerby is in for a grilling from her furious TVNZ bosses over a topless modelling session for the cover of a sports magazine.

While delighted editors at NZ Rugby World say they have been "inundated" with inquiries from sports fans and are predicting a sellout edition, the artistic merits of Oliver-Kerby's nude body painting session were apparently lost on her employers.

Oliver-Kerby, pictured topless except for body paint in a collage of five new Super 12 jerseys, is to be summoned to explain herself to head of news and current affairs Paul Cutler, who was yesterday said to be "livid."

She could face disciplinary action after her employers claimed she had undermined her credibility in her role as a television presenter and defied requests not to go ahead with the raunchy photo session.

Mr Cutler said last night that he did not approve and when he fielded an inquiry from the station's publicity staff two months ago, he made it clear he did not want the modelling session to take place.

Under their contracts, presenters had to get permission for any publicity activity. Oliver-Kerby was on a staff contract.

Further embarrassment was caused by the fact that TVNZ lost the rights to televise the Super 12 series to Sky Television.

Mr Cutler said: "I just felt it was inappropriate for television presenters to be doing that sort of thing.

"I want people to get on with their main job, which is to present news and current affairs. The mere fact that somebody has to ring me up and talk about body painting is sufficient for me to say I don't think this sort of activity is appropriate.

"I will be speaking to her about it when I find the time."

Rugby World associate editor John Matheson said he was baffled by TVNZ's response.

"Hopefully her bosses will cut her some slack. She is a fun-loving girl - she's almost done it to have a laugh at herself. She's not trying to pretend she's a supermodel or anything, just that she has a sense of humour.

"She has a strong following among sports fans and is also a gorgeous lady - that's why we stuck her on the cover."

Mr Matheson said the body painting session took five hours and the artwork was done by Auckland artist Philip Chard.

Last year the March issue of the magazine featured a similar cover with five topless women wearing body paint of the five New Zealand Super 12 teams.

That edition was also a sellout.