Georgia Love's most controversial moments amid 'racism' investigation

Seven News reporter Georgia Love was pulled from on-air duties on Friday, just days after sharing a ‘racist’ video of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant.

But this wasn’t the first time the Bachelorette-turned-newsreader, 33, has landed herself in hot water with her questionable social media activity.

From mocking an expectant Married At First Sight couple to her infamous spat with AFL player Dale Thomas, here are Georgia’s most controversial moments.

Hurtful comments about Davina Rankin 

Georgia infamously copped backlash in February 2018 when she made disparaging remarks about Married At First Sight star Davina Rankin. 

‘I’ve just turned on #MAFS for the first time and I’m very confused. I don’t understand Davina’s face?’ she tweeted at the time. 

‘Has something…happened…to her? Is this by choice? Why has she done this?’ she added in reference to the personal trainer’s appearance.

A friend of Davina’s lashed out at Georgia at the time, telling Daily Mail Australia: ‘Shame on her. She should know better.’ 

Slamming Jessica Mauboy’s Eurovision song 

In March that year, Georgia raised eyebrows again when she mocked the lyrics of Jessica Mauboy’s Eurovision song We Got Love, which was inspired by recent tragedies including a school shooting in Florida.

‘I do love Jess Mauboy but don’t try telling me “love is stronger than fire” isn’t one of history’s most stupid song lyrics,’ she tweeted, then swiftly deleted.  

We Got Love’s chorus goes: ‘I know, I know what you must be thinking / That we are powerless to change things / But don’t, don’t give up / ‘Cause we got love, ’cause we got love / I won’t throw my hands up to surrender / ‘Cause love is stronger than fire.’ 

Jessica had previously spoken about the significance of We Got Love, saying she was inspired to write the lyrics after being ‘shaken by heartbreaking events including the Florida school shooting and sexual assault of a two-year-old girl in Tennant Creek’.

Whingeing about her wedding 

Georgia ruffled feathers once again in August last year when she complained about having to delay her wedding for a second time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Social media critics hit out at Georgia, claiming there were more important issues to worry about than her glamorous nuptials. 

The Twitter firestorm ended with Georgia defending her right to grumble, insisting she’d had a difficult year and deserved to celebrate.

‘I’m allowed to comment on the fact it’s a bit s**tty my wedding has been affected, too!’ she tweeted.

 ‘This does not take away from anyone else’s pain or suffering.’

Georgia’s ‘humble brag’ and feud with Dale Thomas

Last December, Georgia was criticised for her humble-brag post about buying a house with fiancé Lee Elliott and ‘launching two businesses’ during the pandemic.

Following an avalanche of backlash, Georgia returned to Twitter to complain about being trolled.

‘Current situation: being trolled because I tried to celebrate buying a house,’ she tweeted.

She also defended herself on Instagram, insisting she wasn’t trying to brag and was just ‘celebrating’ the fact she and Lee had saved up enough money to buy a home.

Things then went from bad to worse when AFL star Dale Thomas responded to her tweet with a savage clapback that made reference to their 18-month-old feud. 

Dale mocked Georgia for complaining about getting trolled on Twitter, reminding the reality star that she’d kicked him while he was down in 2019 when she infamously ratted him out for drinking alcohol at a charity event two days before a game.

‘Being trolled for having a good time and enjoying your own life sucks, aye! At least mine was for charity!’ Dale wrote.

This tweet referred to an incident in May 2019 when Dale was banned from participating in a match against St Kilda after it emerged he’d chosen to drink at a charity event less than 48 hours earlier.

At the time, Georgia had gleefully tweeted that she’d been at the same event and claimed Dale had consumed more than three drinks.

‘I was there and saw him. There’s no way he’d only had 3 drinks,’ she wrote. 

Georgia, who appeared on The Bachelorette in 2016, didn’t take kindly to Dale’s sarcastic commentary, hitting back with a sharply worded tweet of her own. 

‘[Your tweet] was calling out something that was being misreported in the news, there’s a fair difference between that and trolling,’ Georgia wrote. 

She also claimed there was a difference between Dale’s situation, as he’d admitted to drinking alcohol while she felt she was being criticised unfairly.

‘You have also since come out yourself and said you had had more to drink than you’d originally said so I’m not sure why you’re still on me about this?’ she said. 

Shaming maskless Bondi residents 

In July this year, Georgia came under fire yet again after she shamed Sydneysiders for not wearing masks outdoors.

The Melbourne-based journalist was shocked at the busy scenes at Sydney’s beaches at the time, tweeting a video of crowds and writing: ‘Bondi right now, where masks nor social distance seem to matter.’ 

‘Well, this is unnecessary,’ Sky News journalist Laura Jayes responded.

The news anchor continued: ‘Of the more than 1000 cases in NSW – none have been proven to have transmitted outdoors. The infection is spreading in homes, workplaces, shops.’

Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell chimed in: ‘And posting random videos from a different city… wouldn’t you just concentrate on your own lockdown?’

Pell’s criticism was especially notable given both he and Georgia work for Seven.

Michelle Stephenson, the National News Director for Nova, also criticised Georgia for ‘using camera angles that trick the eye’ in the footage of the crowded boardwalk.

Georgia clapped back: ‘Not sure what camera tricks you think are being used here?

‘But I will also put on the record this is not my video, it was sent to me, and that filming in a public place is entirely allowed without receiving consent from individuals.’ 

Nasty tweet about Bryce and Melissa 

Georgia landed herself in hot water again in July after she fired off a vile tweet about MAFS stars Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson’s pregnancy announcement.

Posting a close-up image of Bryce from his photo shoot with New Idea, Georgia wrote: ‘Siri, show me the face of “I’ve taken it too far”.’

Her tweet played into false rumours circulating online that Bryce and Melissa’s relationship was a ‘showmance’ and their pregnancy was a publicity stunt – claims the couple strenuously denied.

Georgia faced swift backlash for her Twitter post, with one user responding: ‘Fancy being a gratuitous attention-seeking ex-reality show wannabe, and trolling another ex-reality show wannabe.’ 

‘Racist’ post about Asian restaurant 

Her most recent controversy began on Monday when she uploaded footage of a cat sitting behind the window of an Asian restaurant in Melbourne.

She wrote across the footage: ‘Shop attendant or lunch?!’ 

The 7News reporter deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing ‘offence’, but at the time denied the post had any racist ‘insinuation’. 

‘Earlier I posted a video of a cat in a restaurant window. I meant for this to be a joke about an animal being in a restaurant at lunch service time,’ she wrote.

‘I meant absolutely no insinuation about the type of animal nor the type of restaurant, but I see that my post did not come across like that and was offensive. 

‘I sincerely apologise for the oversight and offence I have caused. Thank you to those who called me out. This is what we need to make sure we are all accountable and do better.

‘Again, I apologise from the bottom of my heart for the offence caused.’

Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions later discovered another of Georgia’s posts from February 2013 in which she made a similar joke about domestic pets and Asian restaurants.

The 2013 post showed an ‘animal hospital’ next to a restaurant called ‘China Chef’.

Below the photo of the two storefronts was a cartoon image of a dog, alongside the text: ‘That’s suspicious…’ 

Georgia captioned the now-deleted meme at the time: ‘Best.’

Georgia deleted her Twitter account the following day and limited comments on her Instagram profile.

Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email on Friday that Georgia had been ‘counselled’ and reassigned to an off-camera role ‘effective immediately’.

A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: ‘We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken.

‘Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice.’ 

Georgia is understood to be ‘devastated’ and ‘deeply sorry for her actions’, and has personally apologised to her colleagues, reports The Herald Sun.

‘I want to apologise for an inappropriate post on my personal social media account this week and for an old post which has resurfaced,’ Love said in a staff email.

‘I’m deeply sorry for the hurt that I’ve caused and, in particular, for offence to the Asian community. It certainly wasn’t my intention.

‘My posts were inappropriate and offensive. There is no excuse for perpetuating racist stereotypes in any forum.

‘I am committed to moving forward, learning and growing in my new role and I hope that in time I can earn your trust back.’

Georgia’s apology was forwarded to staff at Seven’s Melbourne newsroom by news director Shaun Menegola, who acknowledged her social media activity had been ‘inappropriate and offensive’.

‘It has been a difficult week for many as a consequence of some inappropriate and offensive posts on a staff member’s private account,’ Mr Menegola wrote.

‘Following a workplace investigation that had to follow due process, I want to let you know that Georgia has been counselled and will be reassigned to the production desk, effective immediately.’

Georgia has also been dropped as an ambassador for Chadstone Shopping Centre.

Georgia began her career as a journalist for WIN News before her profile skyrocketed in 2016 when she was cast on Channel 10’s The Bachelorette.

She went on to become a casual reporter for Ten Eyewitness News, later rebranded 10 News First, but was let go due to budget cuts in early 2021.

She announced she’d joined Seven News Melbourne in February.