Molly Meldrum‘s friends are rallying behind him and insisting the Aussie music icon is “loved and supported” in the aftermath of concerning footage of him at a Rod Stewart concert being leaked to the media.
The 80-year-old’s close friend Paige McGinley, who is one of the four people who has been looking after Meldrum in recent years, told the Sydney Morning Herald Meldrum has a “coordinated and dedicated support system in place.”
McGinley’s comments come days after his assistant, Alan Evers-Buckland, told 9Honey Celebrity the former music critic is understandably shaken after the video was shared online.
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“He’s just really upset and shocked,” Evers-Buckland exclusively told 9Honey Celebrity. “He’s really sorry, that’s it.”
Evers-Buckland added: “His boyfriend’s in town, he’s here with him. He’s fine.”
Meldrum, who has an acquired brain injury after a devastating fall in 2011, has not publicly commented on the footage himself.
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His assistant and friend says Meldrum is apologetic over the incident and he has a “dedicated” team to look after him as he battles his ongoing brain injury.
Evers-Buckland said Meldrum also needs the love and support of fans, friends and family following the incident.
After the footage made headlines last week, 2GB‘s Entertainment Reporter Peter Ford defended Meldrum, citing the former Countdown host’s 2011 brain injury.
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Speaking to host Ben Fordham, Ford assured he wasn’t trying to excuse “bad behaviour”, but that Meldrum’s injury needed to be taken into account.
“He has an acquired brain injury. I mean, we have to accept that,” the reporter said.
“And that’s as a result of that bad fall. Molly’s always been given to odd behaviour, but since that fall… his judgement is impaired.”
Meldrum suffered serious injuries after falling from a ladder from his Melbourne home in 2011.
According to reports at the time, the music icon fell three metres down stairs while putting up Christmas decorations. Among his injuries were a fractured skull and he was in a coma for five weeks following the fall.
The news from the Rod Stewart concert comes just months after Meldrum made headlines for exposing himself while on stage at Elton John’s Melbourne concert in January.
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