Police investigate Jacob Elordi run-in with Kyle and Jackie O producer (2024)

NSW Police are investigating an incident between Brisbane-born Hollywood actor Jacob Elordi and a producer for Kyle and Jackie O after an attempted prank staged for the FM radio duo’s show went awry on the weekend.

The alleged incident occurred on Saturday at the Clovelly Hotel, where Elordi had spent the afternoon with friends.

As he left the premises, Elordi was accosted by Joshua Fox, a producer for the stunt-filled breakfast show, which is expanding to Melbourne at a date yet to be confirmed. The exchange between the men soon turned sour after Fox refused to delete camera footage as per Elordi’s request.

“Officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command are investigating after a man was allegedly assaulted outside a hotel in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs,” NSW Police said in a statement. “Police were told about 3.30pm on Saturday 3 February 2024 a 32-year-old man was allegedly assaulted by a 26-year-old man. The man did not sustain any injuries.

“Inquiries into the incident are continuing.”

Elordi is one of the hottest talents on the planet. The 196-centimetre actor stars in the movie Saltburn and the TV series Euphoria, plays Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, plays one of the leads in the forthcoming adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and has recently been cast to play the monster in Guillermo del Toro’s version of Frankenstein.

His work in Saltburn, in which he plays an aristocratic English university student with whom a classmate (Barry Keoghan) becomes obsessively and dangerously infatuated, has seen him nominated for two awards at the BAFTAs next month, including the Rising Star award and best supporting actor, and as best supporting actor at the AACTA awards, to be held on the Gold Coast later this week.

One scene in particular has taken on a life of its own. In it, Oliver (Keoghan) slurps at the water in which Felix (Elordi) has just bathed, and masturbat*d.

Among other things, the scene has spawned a range of “Jacob Elordi bathwater candles”. Presented with one of these $US35 items during his appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show last month, Elordi responded in good humour by first sniffing and then pretending to slurp at it.

Apparently hoping to capture some of that comedic gold for the stunt-laden Kyle and Jackie O Show, Fox by his own admission accosted Elordi as he left the pub on Saturday afternoon, while carrying a plastic tub labelled “Jacob Elordi’s bathwater”.

Fox, a former paparazzo in England, introduced himself to the star.

“Excuse me Jacob, I just want to say, ‘Hey. I’m from the Kyle and Jackie O show,’ ” he said, in audio captured from the exchange and played on the show on Monday.

“Ah, well done man, that’s cool,” responded Elordi.

“Really random, but I want to give you this,” Fox said. “Jackie wants a birthday present.”

“Jacob Elordi’s bath water,” said Elordi, reading the label on the container.

“She’s a big fan of the movie,” said Fox.

“What am I supposed to do with this, put bath water in this?” asked Elordi.

“If you want to, you can send it to the studio,” Fox replied.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Elordi said.

“Nah, seriously,” Fox responded. “For Jackie O.”

“Are you filming?” Elordi asked.

“Yeah,” Fox said.

“Can you not, man, please?” Elordi asked, at which point the audio stopped.

Fox claimed that he deleted the footage but when Elordi asked him to also remove it from his recently deleted items folder, the KIIS staffer refused.

“I’m thinking if I delete this footage, there’s no evidence that this encounter happened,” Fox told his employers. As Elordi’s friends surrounded him, he added, he became afraid that “someone’s gonna jump me”.

He claimed that Elordi then allegedly “flipped” a switch and had “his hands around me throat”.

Kyle and Jackie O host Kyle Sandilands claimed his Sunday had been ruined by the incident, as an afternoon that was supposed to be dedicated to swimming with his son was interrupted by phone calls from lawyers.

The telling of the story, though, provided about 25 minutes of material for Monday’s show.

According to reports, soon after the alleged confrontation, Fox went to Waverley police station and made a report, but refused to give a formal statement. It is believed he has declined further requests by police to make a statement.

Contact the author at kquinn@theage.com.au, follow him on Facebook at karlquinnjournalist and on Twitter @karlkwin, and read more of his work here.

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