And finally tonight, one of the more shameful pieces of television I've seen in more than four years in this chair...

An Affair to Remember...One of Australia's most famous celebrity wives...the Aussie superstar, known worldwide...their 8 year secret, exposed... — Channel Nine, A Current Affair Promo, 22nd April, 2012

The promo worked a treat. Nine's A Current Affair had its highest ratings for more than a year when Leanne Nesbitt, the first Mrs Geoffrey Edelsten, coyly...

Martin King: What did you call each other? Leanne Edelston: He's always been and always will be, Mr Wolf. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

...shamelessly...

Leanne Edelston: And I actually said to him 'you've just ravished me, like a wolf' and he said 'and so it shall be, Miss Hood'. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

...and in embarrassing detail...

Leanne Edelston: We would always drink tea with a Cherry Ripe, so... Martin King: A cup of tea? Before? Leanne Edelston: Yes, always. With a Cherry Ripe. And after. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

...told a slavering Martin King about her eight-year affair with Clive James. I don't really need to say much about it.

The Australian's Amanda Meade has already done it...

A Current Affair's dirty new low — The Australian, 24th April, 2012

And the Daily Telegraph's Miranda Devine has done it...

TV doesn't get more cringeworthy... — Daily Telegraph, 25th April, 2012

And even Channel Nine's own Georgie Gardner has done it...

Georgie Gardner: Yes and saying to him 'like I'm worried about your privacy or our privacy', I mean it was just awful. — Channel Nine, Today, 24th April, 2012

So it was. And stunningly hypocritical too.

Martin King: Clive asked you for privacy. He asked for your discretion. Do you think you're breaching that? Leanne Edelston: Well somebody's breached mine. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

That somebody is Clive James's wife of over forty years, who has found out about the affair, but so far hasn't said a word to anybody.

Martin King: If you keep shtum, nobody will know. Leanne Edelston: How do I know that? Because I don't know how she found out. Martin King: So this is a pre-emptive strike? Leanne Edelston: Yes. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

Leanne is particularly concerned that the photographs she sent Clive James might get into the wrong hands - so she gives them to Martin King, and well over a million viewers - to leer over...

Martin King: If Clive's wife Prue was livid when she saw those emails. Imagine her reaction when she saw these. Leanne Edelston: He wanted photographs of me because he was missing me, and he asked me to send him some. Martin King: You were busted. Leanne Edelston: yes — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

And then ACA flew Leanne to Britain, where with two cameramen and a sound recordist in tow, she accosted a frail-looking Clive James.

Leanne Edelston: It's okay..just tell me.. Clive James: Nice to see you - and all of you... Leanne Edelston: I'm just worried about who has the photos... — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

A Current Affair has the photos, Leanne. You know that.

Leanne Edelston: OK. I'm just worried about my privacy. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

She's worried about her privacy. But neither Leanne, nor Nine, gave a damn about the privacy of Clive James or his wife. He's seventy two years old, he has leukemia. Did he really deserve this?

Martin King: But for Mr Wolf, the game is up and he clearly wants to move on. But Miss Hood has one final sweet treat from Down Under. Leanne Edelston: Here's a Cherry Ripe - put it in your pocket. Come, I'll walk to your... — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

Just nauseating.

The Commercial Television Code of Practice has a clause which says that licensees...

must not use material ...which invades any individual's privacy, other than where there is an identifiable public interest reason for the material to be broadcast. — Commercial Television Industry Codes of Practice, January 2010

The public was certainly interested. But what was the public interest in exposing this tawdry, and very uncurrent, affair? Tracy Grimshaw could only come up with this...

Tracy Grimshaw: first rule of affairs is, most people are only happy to be discreet until it all goes pear-shaped. — Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 23rd April, 2012

Tracy, you're better than that.

In a few months, if anyone complains, ACMA might tell Nine it's been naughty.

Next week, we'll have a look at the new system of media regulation proposed today by the Convergence Review. Something to look forward to.

Till then, goodnight.