Nine Network sports presenter Alex Cullen has been stood down after allegedly accepting a $50,000 payment from Melbourne billionaire Adrian Portelli, the man famously known as the “Lambo guy,” in exchange for Cullen calling him by his preferred nickname, “McLaren guy.”
Adrian Portelli rose to fame in 2022 after making a dramatic entrance at a house auction for the popular reality TV show The Block, arriving in a bright yellow Lamborghini. This flashy moment led to the media dubbing him the “Lambo guy.” His association with the luxury car brand became so well-known that he was repeatedly referred to by this moniker in the media.
However, Portelli, reportedly irked by the label, sought to distance himself from the “Lambo guy” persona and offered a $50,000 reward to anyone who would refer to him instead as the “McLaren guy” on air.
Portelli’s challenge was quickly taken up by Cullen, who was presenting a live cross from the Australian Open to the Today Show studio in Sydney. In the broadcast, both Cullen and host Karl Stefanovic used the term “McLaren guy,” fulfilling Portelli’s request.
Stefanovic even joked that he would split the $50,000 with Cullen live on air.
Shortly after the segment, Portelli reportedly posted a screenshot on Instagram showing a $50,000 bank transfer to Cullen, along with the caption: “We have a winner! Well played, sir.”
While Portelli saw the exchange as a playful victory, the situation took a more serious turn when Nine’s management became aware of the incident. The network confirmed that Alex Cullen was taken off air as part of an internal investigation into the payment.
A spokesperson for Nine issued a statement, saying that the network was treating the matter “extremely seriously”.
“Nine is taking this matter extremely seriously,” a spokesperson said. “Appropriate action has been promptly taken, including arranging for the funds to be returned. While we review the circumstances in which this occurred, Alex has agreed to stand down”.
Portelli, who has been a controversial figure in Australian media, explained his actions in an Instagram post over the weekend. He expressed frustration over the media’s portrayal of him, claiming that the nickname “Lambo guy” had been used to “subconsciously degrade” him. “I’ve told them many, many times to stop,” Portelli wrote.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of legal troubles for Portelli and his company, LMCT+. In December 2024, Portelli faced charges related to conducting an unlawful lottery. LMCT+, under Portelli’s leadership, has been accused of operating a rewards program where members could enter to win cars and properties, including a significant prize for a property from The Block. According to court documents, the lottery violated South Australian law because it lacked the necessary licence to offer prizes over $5,000.
Portelli’s legal battles are far from over, with an Adelaide court hearing on Wednesday confirming that he would plead not guilty to nine charges, which involve incidents related to the properties he purchased in The Block‘s 2024 season.
The scandal is a stain on what has otherwise been a hugely successful Australian Open campaign for the Nine Network. With the network working hard to shift its culture following an independent review last year that found issues with bullying and abuse of power, the outcome of this investigation will likely be a reflection of the network’s commitment to these changes.
