NRL 360 presenter Paul Kent has reportedly been sacked after being filmed allegedly taking part in a wild street brawl outside a Sydney hotel in April this year.
The clip, seen by B&T, allegedly depicts Kent engaged in a confrontation with another man, being held back by numerous on-lookers. Kent eventually breaks free from their hold, making a break for the other man, who appears to throw the first punch. The battle heats up as the pair engage in a violent street brawl that ends with Kent being thrown head-first into the base of a tree.
A spokesperson for the Daily Telegraph and Fox Sports told B&T at the time that Kent had been stood down from his positions pending an immediate investigation into the clip. It is now understood that Kent has since parted ways with both employers.
The 54-year-old is due to face Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, having indicated he will seek to have a charge of affray dealt with on mental health grounds.
NSW police were not called to the incident at the time but investigated the video after it surfaced on social media.
The scandal came just four months after Kent found himself in court for charges relating to domestic violence. He was found not guilty of allegations he choked and assaulted a woman known to him and cleared on all charges.
The Internet Reacts!
The wild brawl that went viral on social media has led to a litany of memes, including from the popular page NRLLaughs.
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Other memes joked that the tree should be sentenced to “ten in the bin” and suspension for two weeks after head-high contact with the presenter.
Footy fans have even immortalised the tree that Kent was thrown into during the fight by turning it into a local landmark on Google Maps.
The tree reportedly has a 4.9 star rating and upwards of 80 reviews including one that referred to it as the 8th wonder of the world. “A must visit for anyone travelling to Sydney. 5 stars,” the reviewer wrote.
“If you feel like branching out then look no further! I was rooted to the spot when I saw it; my head felt like it was doing a 360!” another joked.