It seems like the Wilkins dynasty is on the nose at Channel 9, with entertainment guru Richard Wilkins’ son, socialite Christian Wilkins, confirmed to be out at the network amid the shock announcement of his casting on rival network Ten’s new season of Dancing With the Stars.
WATCH: First look at Dancing with the Stars 2020 featuring Christian Wilkins
Christian, who has until recently had a role in Nine’s social media and marketing department and was a regular red carpet fixture at network-related events, is said to be no longer in Nine’s good books after waltzing around with Ten.
Sources at the company say that looking for after-hours opportunities outside of the network is strictly off limits, and anyone who wants to work elsewhere is required to choose.
‘Christian started disappearing from work more than usual,’ claims a well-placed source at Nine. ‘We wondered why we hadn’t seen him.
‘He is famous for running his own race at Nine but everyone turned a blind eye. Not this time!’
Christian allegedly kept the news of his DWTS casting from his father in the beginning.
‘Nine do not take kindly to this behaviour,’ claims the source.
Another source very close to the drama insisted to New Idea that Christian ‘resigned’ from his job late last year and was ‘not fired’.
Whatever the exact circumstances of his departure from Nine, the network is not only annoyed with Christian – bosses are also said to be unhappy with his father over the socialite’s embarrassing defection.
Christian was contacted directly for comment on this story, but at the time of publication had not responded to our questions.
DWTS is already grabbing headlines this year. Claudia Karvan, Ed Kavalee, Celia Pacquola, Chloe Lattanzi, Dean Wells, Travis Cloke, Dami Im, Angie Kent, Beau Ryan and Christian are all set to hit our screens on the show.
Hosts Amanda Keller and Grant Denyer, and judges Sharna Burgess, Tristan Macmanus, and Craig Revel Horwood will all be back for the exciting new season which kicks off on Sunday, February 9 at 7.30pm
Grant took to Instagram to share the line-up and write: ‘Australia, meet your stars … I’ve been absolutely frothin’ to drop this amazing news on you! I love em’ and I promise you’ll love IT.
‘They are: legends, loveables, Lol’s and lunatics. An absolutely ripper bunch of clueless romantics about to be thrown onto the floor and into the fire with no clue how to dance.
‘They’re all terrified, panicking and hoping not to stack it or cop an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction live on TV.’
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