Seven Network boss David Leckie has been told to f… off by no other than James Packer.
The incident has been made public after it was revealed that Leckie who was attending a birthday bash for Sam Chisholm at the Opera House was told to “step outside” by Packer after Leckie made approaches to him.
In August Leckie’s boss Kerry Stokes invested over $190 million buying shares in Consolidated Media Holdings, a company majority owned by James Packer. He also secured two seats on the board in return for Seven entering into a 12-month standstill agreement was any attempt to justify the deal as in the interests of the CMH shareholders as a whole.
Journalist Paul Barry wrote in his new book that Leckie, with hand outstretched approached James Packer in welcome, he was expecting a warm response.
Instead, Packer told him to “f . . . off”. He then is said to have told his former mentor: “You want to go outside now? Let’s do it.”
Packer is believed to be upset with Leckie and the Seven Network for turning a blind eye to what he feels has been a sustained negative campaign instigated by the television network towards himself and his family.
Observers told the Daily Telegraph that Packer who has put on weight lately after heavy share losses said “He is sick of Leckie fronting him warmly at private social gatherings when publicly his network keeps taking shots at him,” a source said.
