Sports journalist Paul Kent faces suspension from his television and newspaper employers following an altercation captured on video outside a popular Sydney nightspot.
The incident gained widespread attention on social media platforms. It occurred outside Totti’s, a renowned establishment in Rozelle, Sydney.
In the video footage, a group of men is shown engaged in a heated exchange. Kent is heard using derogatory language towards a younger man before he starts charging towards him.
Associates were seen trying to step in, before the two guys traded punches on the road. The guy who seems to be Kent is tossed into the base of a tree at the conclusion of the video, and the other man gets out.
Both Fox Sports and The Daily Telegraph have taken action, issuing a statement confirming Kent’s suspension pending further investigation. They stated: “Fox Sports presenter and News Corp Australia columnist Paul Kent has been stood down pending an immediate investigation.”
Authorities from the New South Wales Police are investigating the incident following its circulation online.
Despite the controversy, Kent has received support from friends and acquaintances, with several individuals visiting his residence to offer solidarity.
Kent’s friend said to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday that the journalist would ‘want some privacy’.
He said: “He’s alright, just a bit sore. He’s a bit sick of being called names.”
The incident occurred only two months after Kent’s co-hosting of Fox Sports’ football program NRL 360 was resumed after he was found not guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend.
In 2023, Kent was fired from both his NRL360 position and his News Corp weekly column after he was accused of common assault and intentionally choking a person without consent.
On December 12, he was acquitted of charges that he had assaulted and strangled his then-partner Lucy Kennedy at his inner-west Sydney residence.
