Cardinal George Pell has had his bail revoked after an Australian jury has found Cardinal George Pell guilty of sexual abuse of two choirboys.

Tony Abbott has given an excruciating radio interview about his friendship with convicted paedophile George Pell, in which he was evasive about the future of his support.

Speaking to 2GB Radio this afternoon, the former prime minister apologised for “bamboozling” journalist Ben Fordham by refusing to say if he would stand by Pell should his appeal fail.

However, Mr Abbott reluctantly revealed that he phoned Pell yesterday after his guilty verdict was made public following the lifting of a suppression order.

The disgraced cardinal will spend his first night behind bars on five child sex offences after a bombshell day in court, in which his bail was formally revoked.

Mr Abbott attempted to dodge Fordham’s repeated questions on when he last spoke to his friend, finally caving in and revealing it was yesterday, after Pell’s verdict was made public.

“It was a call I put into him, yes I spoke to him,” Mr Abbott finally admitted after the interview became tense.

While Mr Abbott, who is well-known for his praise of Pell’s character, would not reveal what they spoke about, he said earlier in the interview that Pell’s position in their private conversations was the same his lawyer had expressed in court.

Fordham acknowledged that the verdict was a bitter pill to swallow for any of Pell’s friends but asked if Mr Abbott would reconsider his longstanding support.

“Well he’s been found guilty by a court of a horrible crime, an absolutely horrible crime,” he replied. “Let’s see what the appeal court finds. It’s a shocking and devastating result.”

Fordham asked who Mr Abbott was referring to with the latter statement.

“Certainly for the friends of Cardinal Pell, and I am one, for all who believe in the Catholic Church, and I’m also one of those,” he said.

“This is a grim time, there’s no doubt about that. I have faith in the justice system so let’s see what that see what the law ultimately produces.”

In an interview on ABC’s Lateline program in 2004, the then-Howard government’s Health Minister said Pell was a “fine man” and “one of the greatest churchmen that Australia has seen”.

Mr Abbott agreed that it was correct, in the eyes of the law, that Pell was now a paedophile.

“Well it certainly doesn’t sound consistent with the man I have known,” he said.

He said he would come to a settled conclusion after the appeal.

The Warringah MP said he could “absolutely understand” the horror people felt about child sexual abuse, particularly when there had been a breach of trust.

Fordham told him Pell had a “pretty ordinary track record” to be considered a fine man.

“I have to accept that the court has come to this position,” he said.

“Just as the victim said that he wasn’t a spokesman for all victims, I can’t be a spokesman for the Catholic Church, I can’t be a spokesman for Cardinal Pell. I don’t claim to have the last word and insight on any of these issues.

“I’ve made many mistakes, we all do. It’s certainly possible at times like this to make very harsh judgments like this, and I accept that.”

Fordham likened the situation Mr Abbott is in to one he faced when a former colleague, who he did not name, was subject to serious allegations.

Former A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack was convicted and ordered to pay $1000 and placed on a good behaviour bond for three years after pleading guilty to two child porn charges in 2017.

It is believed that is the “colleague” Fordham referred to, although he did not go into specifics.

Fordham said the there were similarities in his and Mr Abbott’s experiences, although the circumstances were different. He had to withdraw his support of the unnamed colleague, he said.

Mr Abbott attempted to reference the scriptures and Fordham cut him off.

“The legal process is not yet finalised,” he then said. “I will be on your program no doubt and you can put these questions to me then. I’m sorry I’m bamboozling you. I accept this is a horrific crime.”