Shane Warne's ex-wife pans 'mean-spirited' TV drama about cricket legend
Shane Warne's ex-wife is not happy about the upcoming telemovie about his life.
Simone Callahan, the former wife of Shane Warne, has slammed the upcoming telemovie about the colourful life of the late Aussie cricket great. The two-part TV drama - set to air on Nine on Sunday and Monday nights - has been at the centre of controversy since details of it were first released last year in pre-production.
Warne died in March last year at 52 after suffering a suspected heart attack on the Thai island of Koh Samui. Nine's contentious telemovie was reportedly already in the pre-production phase within three weeks of the legendary cricket star's death, with his daughter Brooke and long-time manager James Erskine among those to express disgust on behalf of the family, about the controversial production.
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Speaking to The Herald Sun before the TV drama airs, Warne's ex-wife described it as "unkind" and "mean-spirited", particularly on the three children she shared with the cricket legend. Callahan says her kids - Summer, Brooke and Jackson - are still grieving the loss of their father. She insists the Nine network has shown "no compassion" and is only interested in making money after producing the telemovie so soon after Warne's death.
“I haven’t wanted to read into too much about it, but I think it’s a bit unkind and mean-spirited to be honest," Callahan told the Herald Sun. “No compassion, really unkind. They’re (the children) still grieving, they lost their dad, unfortunately with the way mainstream media are it’s all about the dollars to be made, it’s a business for them, but it’s very personal for us.”
Last June, Warne's long-time manager expressed his disgust on behalf of the late cricketer's family about Channel Nine's plans for the drama. “He’s only been dead for a couple of months and for them to turn this around and think about doing some sensational thing, well they should be ashamed of themselves," Erskine told the Herald Sun at the time.
Shane Warne's eldest daughter Brooke also hit out at Channel Nine last year after suggesting the telemovie was made without the blessing of the family. Brooke wrote on her Instagram stories: “Do any of you have any respect for Dad? Or his family? Who did so much for Channel 9 and now you want to dramatise his life and our families (sic) life 6 months after he passed away? You are beyond disrespectful.”
Telemovie to be a celebration of Shane Warne's life
Ultimately, Erskine said in September last year that Warne's family had been given assurances that the telemovie would be done in good taste and would be largely a celebration of the Spin King's incredible life. “They have assured me it will be done appropriately. At the end of the day if they do a hatchet job, then the whole world will be watching," Erskine told the Herald Sun.
Despite those assurances, Nine's promotional material for the show has included raunchy scenes between the actors playing Warne and Callahan - Alex Williams and Marny Kennedy, respectively. Callahan says she's found it disappointing, with Nine's promos being slammed for being distasteful.
Nine has heavily promoted the drama on its coverage of the first Ashes Test in England, billing is a 'must-watch' television event. “Shane Warne was an Aussie legend, a cultural icon, a cricketing genius, a charmer and a loveable rogue," a Nine statement about the telemovie read.
“Warnie, as he was affectionately known to all, transcended cricket. Like all great characters, he inspired extreme reactions from people from all walks of life, in Australia and around the world.”
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