No, Zaky Mallah will not have his own TV show, says SBS

Zaky Mallah, the former terrorism suspect, is not going to have his own TV show, no matter what the rumors say, clarifies SBS in a statement.

This is after talks have been going around that Mallah, who caused a frenzy in June for asking an Australian government minister a controversial question at a live Q&A on TV, would be given a segment in the SBS youth news and current affairs program "The Feed." According to The Australian, SBS managing director Michael Ebeid previously said that a freelance journalist had pitched the idea, but clarified that no filming has been done or confirmed to-date. In a series of tweets dated Aug. 14, he said that he never confirmed that Mallah was being given his own show and that all reports related to it were "rubbish."

Zaky Mallah was jailed in 2005 for terrorism for his alleged support for ISIS and threatening to kill ASIO officers, but was acquitted shortly after. In a statement published on The Guardian, he admitted being dumb and naive for making such comments, adding that he is in good terms with ASIO and the counter-terrorism police. "This was the point I was making on Q&A when I had my outburst. I make it proudly and would say it again. The Abbott government has no one to blame but themselves for the new recruits that Isis is attracting here in Australia," he wrote.

On the idea that Mallah was being given a platform to air his views on TV, Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told the Sydney Morning Herald that he is confident nothing would come out of it. Cormann had reportedly already spoken with Ebeid Saturday morning. "Any suggestion there was ever any proposal for this convicted criminal and terrorist sympathiser to have his own show is completely wrong," he said.

Kim Vuga, Mallah's proposed co-star, also said she will have no part in any show involving him, according to same report by The Australian. Vuga added that the show would be funded by taxpayers' money and giving someone like Mallah another platform to speak is wrong.

However, reports suggest that producer John MacFarlane may have been planning the show without Ebeid's knowledge. In an email exchange between Vuga and MacFarlane, a copy of which was seen by The Australian, MacFarlane reportedly said that Nick Hayden, the executive producer, is willing to "put his neck on the line" for the project." Speaking to The Weekend Australian later, Hayden said that nothing has been decided yet but did not comment on whether Ebeid has already been informed of the plan. "I have no idea what John has sent to Kim," he added.

Read Michael Ebeid's official statement posted Aug. 15 on the SBS website about this matter here.

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