When the media comes knocking..

This week we finally heard from the “other woman” in the high profile murder case against Gerard Baden Clay.

Toni McHugh was reportedly paid around $200 thousand dollars to talk to 60 Minutes on the Nine Network about her affair with the man who murdered his wife.

I can understand why Ms. McHugh decided to go down this road and take the big media dollars on offer; her reputation and career have been thoroughly trashed after she was revealed to be the woman in a long affair with Gerard Baden Clay.  During the murder trial she was even put forward as a possible reason why Mr. Baden Clay killed his wife… the two women were due to come face to face the day Allison Baden Clay was reported missing.

If I was Toni McHugh, I also probably would have chosen to speak to 60 Minutes or it’s rival Sunday Night on Channel 7, not only because they have the biggest cheque books, but because they also have the biggest audiences and a great deal of professional respect.

However, I would have also have prepared for the interview, and I’m not sure Ms. McHugh really thought everything through.

An interview like that has the potential to restore your reputation or damage it further.

Toni McHugh should not be blamed for the murder of Allison Baden Clay, she was also caught up in the lies of an arrogant, dangerous man and is suffering in her own way for that. But during the interview she seemed to focus on herself – still – and overlook the real victims in this horrible suburban saga: Allison, her family and her three daughters.

“I hope he never enters my life again” she cried during the interview with Tara Brown.  Twitter followers were scathing and Toni McHugh is back where she started.. taking the role of the selfish mistress.

This interview was the chance to start rebuilding her reputation and I think she flubbed it. It even looked like she still cares for her murderous ex-lover.

She needed to offer sympathy to Allison’s family and friends, apologise for any hurt she caused them and come out swinging against GBC and what he did to Allison.

Maybe it was all too much, too soon for her or she simply didn’t understand how the media works and what the audience expects.

This was her chance to turn it all around.  Who knows how long will it take Toni McHugh now to get her reputation back.