Indian Nurse Commits Suicide in UK Over Australian Radio Prank

Jacintha Saldanha, a 46-year-old nurse at King Edward VII's Hospital in London, was found dead on the morning of December 7, 2012, three days after she was duped by a prank phone call from two Australian radio DJs. Police treated the death as a suspected suicide. No note was found at the scene, though letters were later discovered.

What was the prank call?

On December 4, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, hosts on Sydney's 2Day FM, called the hospital impersonating Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales, asking after the Duchess of Cambridge, who was being treated for severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) in the early weeks of her first pregnancy.

Saldanha, working the night switchboard, took the call and put it through to the ward, where a second nurse gave the impostors a brief update on Kate's condition. The DJs broadcast the recording to millions.

Who was Jacintha Saldanha?

A mother of two from Bristol, originally from India, Saldanha had worked at the hospital for four years and was widely described as a dedicated, well-liked nurse. Sky News reported that the hospital had neither suspended nor disciplined her over the call. Her family said in a statement: "We as a family are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Jacintha."

What was the fallout?

The owners of 2Day FM, Southern Cross Austereo, said the two DJs were "deeply shocked" and pulled them off air. Greig and Christian later gave tearful interviews saying they had never imagined such an outcome. The station donated its advertising profits to a memorial fund.

In Britain, the inquest in 2013 recorded that Saldanha had taken her own life. The coroner heard she had been deeply distressed by the global media attention and feared for her job, despite the hospital's reassurances. The case triggered a worldwide debate about prank-call radio, media ethics, and the duty of care employers owe staff caught in a media storm.

FAQ

When did the prank call happen? December 4, 2012, to King Edward VII's Hospital in London.

Who made the call? Sydney 2Day FM hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian, impersonating the Queen and Prince Charles.

Was Saldanha disciplined? No. The hospital confirmed she had not been suspended or disciplined.

What did the inquest conclude? That she took her own life, in the context of distress over the prank call and its aftermath.

The takeaway

A joke broadcast to millions landed on one woman. The tragedy of Jacintha Saldanha is a standing warning about the asymmetry of prank culture: the pranksters move on to the next bit, while the butt of the joke carries it alone.

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