Darren Maule, the host of East Coast Radio’s breakfast show, denied accusations of bullying and misogyny following a video by former co-host Keri Miller, in which she discussed the reasons behind her departure from the station.
Darren Maule addresses Keri Miller’s ‘bully’ claims
Miller claimed that she felt bullied by Maule’s behaviour, particularly during discussions around topics such as COVID-19 and religion.
She said she felt victimised and not heard, and that work began to feel like a chore.
“I felt bullied, I have to say that. I felt very bullied. I felt victimised. I felt picked on. I felt not heard. For the first time, work began to feel like work,” Miller said.
However, in response, Maule stated that he was a doting father to his children and step-children, a devoted husband to his wife, as well as an outspoken activist for women who strongly condones bullying or misogyny.
According to Maule, tensions between him and Miller had become untenable, and after several unsuccessful interventions, the matter of her departure was between her and the radio station.
“It was no secret that Keri and I had a strained relationship for many years and didn’t see eye to eye on several matters. This eventually led to our situation becoming untenable and after many unsuccessful interventions, the matter of her departure was one between her and ECR,” he said.
Miller’s version of how she was axed from ECR differs greatly, however.
According to the radiocaster, things went awry after she and Maule got into a spat over reactions to the death of AKA.
Miller explained that ECR refused to investigate her complaints about Maule’s attitude toward her and simply suggested that she, “him and Sky sort it out, with Sky almost being asked to be a mediator.”
“I just said on that day that I don’t think it’s appropriate for Sky [Tshabalala] to mediate for us. It’s not him. Sky’s not a fighter. Anyway, that day I got suspended for insubordination because I didn’t stay,” Miller explained.
Following a series of interactions, where Miller sought legal assistance, and ECR launched an external probe into the radio room beef, a decision was made to separate the co-hosts due to the untenable toxic nature of their work environment.
In a statement released following Miller’s video, which you can watch below, ECR maintained they’ve “always engaged Keri Miller supportively (by her own version in her broadcast) and has tried repeatedly to part ways with her respectfully and amicably.”
“ECR did not find evidence of the bullying that Keri alleges, despite commissioning two independent and highly qualified external parties to seek out problems or issues that could be affecting the show and its personnel,” the radio station noted.
In his response, Maule praised Miller’s talent as a broadcaster and performer and wished her well for the future.
Here’s the video of Miller telling it all about how she was supposedly kicked out of ECR‘s breakfast show.
