Everest rescue mission backfires on Hugh Sheridan and Andrew Rochford

Andrew Hornery Private Sydney Columnist

A well-intentioned and altruistic mercy dash or a cynical and opportunistic media outlet looking to capitalise on incomprehensible devastation?

Perhaps the truth behind the Seven Network's flagship current affairs program Sunday Nightand its controversial mission to Nepal this week to rescue actor Hugh Sheridan's little brother Zachary from Mount Everest lies somewhere in the middle.

On Thursday a Seven spokeswoman came out in staunch defence of the network's actions after a promo was aired during Wednesday night's 6pm news bulletin following a report on the death and devastation gripping Nepal.But what is clear is that the Australian public has no appetite for "celebrity" stories during times of immense grief, and no one knows this better than Sheridan and his cohort, celebrity doctor Andrew Rochford, who have sustained the greatest damage to their respective "brands".

Zachary Sheridan had already sent word that he was safe and well in a remote village, but the promo still went ahead, a decision which has proven to be a monumental error in judgement.

As a sullen-faced Rochford, who first came to fame as a contestant on Channel Nine's The Block and has spent more time in front of the camera in recent years than tethered to a stethoscope, conducted a dramatic interview with Sheridan, the Packed to the Rafters actor said: "I would have climbed Everest to find him."

Within seconds Twitter erupted with condemnation of Sheridan and Rochford's appearance as well as the network's handling of the story, amid claims it was "cashing in" and trivialising the gravity of the situation by focussing on a celebrity searching for his brother who was alive and well.

A Seven spokeswoman confirmed Sunday Night's recently installed executive producer Steve Taylor, who had previously been EP on the ABC's respected Foreign Correspondent, had approached Sheridan, who was in Los Angeles, on Sunday and invited him to join a news crew travelling to Nepal.

"At that point no one knew if Zachary was alive, it was a very desperate situation," the spokeswoman said, confirming that Rochford was dispatched from Sydney to LA to meet with Sheridan and the Sunday Night crew before flying on to Nepal.

"Our people and Hugh are now committed to providing whatever help they can in the situation they have found themselves in. This is a legitimate story and all media outlets are covering it. A satellite phone was like gold there ... they are helping as much as they can."

"Of course we are not going to muscle in and hire helicopters when they are needed to rescue people ... that is not how we operate," she said after it was reported the Sunday Nightproduction crew was unable to hire a chopper when those available were all being used to run important aid missions­ and to rescue the sick.

Sheridan's subsequent social media updates did little to improve things, especially when he posted an image of himself wearing gloves and a face mask outside a collapsed building.

"What is this, Saving Private Sheridan!?!" was just one of the hundreds of derisive comments the image attracted.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney/private-sydney-everest-rescue-mission-backfires-on-hugh-sheridan-and-andrew-rochford-20150501-1mx0wh.html

  This was happening at  a time when  aid was not reaching  those in the desperate villages of remote Nepal  I heard   as senior  aid worker  talk of how  most of the, already few, helicopters had been commandeered by  foreign embassies to rescue their own  citizens and that  Kathmandu airport was  unable to land aid because the evacuation of foreigners was  the priority  pushed on the  the authorities there.