Former East Coast Radio host Keri Miller has set the record straight on why she left the radio station. Miller hosted the morning drive show along with Darren Maule and Sky Tshabalala.
Last month, ECR managing director Bonnie Mchunu announced Miller's departure.
“The decision came after extensive discussions with Keri, the nature of which is confidential. However, she leaves with a proud legacy, having made a significant contribution to the station, and with the very best wishes of the management and the ECR Breakfast team,” Mchunu said.
This week, Miller took to social media to share her side of the ordeal.
She spoke of the tumultuous relationship between herself and Maule.
Miller said she and Maule had differing views on Covid-19 and this led to them seeing a couples therapist to help assist with communication.
Miller said after Covid, she began to feel differently about the way things were done on the show. She said she went from feeling part of the boys' club to feeling bullied and bothered by the comments and it was harder to overlook the sexual innuendos on the show.
“I felt bullied, I have to say that. I felt very bullied. I felt victimised. I felt picked on. I felt not heard,” Miller.
“For the first time, work began to feel like work,” Miller said.
She said she and Maule also had differing religious views.
At the beginning of 2023, Miller informed the station’s management of her struggles, saying that she did not know how much longer she could work with Maule.
Miller described how she and Maule had a disagreement the weekend after the death of SA rapper AKA. She said Maule’s comments showed a lack of respect for her.
“It was suggested that me, him and Sky sort it out, with Sky almost being asked to be a mediator. I just said on that day that I don't think it's appropriate for Sky to mediate for us. It's not him. Sky's not a fighter. Anyway, that day I got suspended for insubordination because I didn't stay,” Miller said.
Miller said she sought legal advice and ECR hired an external investigator who confirmed that Miller and Maule could not work together because it was a toxic environment.
She said that in a feedback meeting, ECR’s management told her it was Maule’s show and her contract was terminated.
Responding to Miller’s video, ECR said it had “always engaged Keri Miller supportively (by her own version in her broadcast), and tried repeatedly to part ways with her respectfully and amicably”.
“Whilst we acknowledge that this has been an emotional journey for her, we differ on many points of ‘fact’ as alleged in her statement, and the context around her contract termination. What we agree on is that there was a breakdown in the on-air and off-air relationship with her co-host, and the station provided extensive interventions for many years in an attempt to work around and through these interpersonal issues,” ECR said.
