Woman's Day insiders recall the stories behind the biggest shocks, scoops and exclusives of the '90s...
Christopher Skase
— Bunty Avieson, editor
Journalist Sue Smethurst had found Christopher Skase in Spain and came back with the exclusive story. She had tapes that were recorded by MI5 of Skase speaking to actor George Hamilton about the collapse of his company Quintex.
I put the tapes on a special phone line so readers could call in and listen to the conversation, with the chance of winning a trip to Majorca. And the winner was actually a lady whose teenage son had lost money on Quintex shares.
Himalayas survivor James Scott
— Jenni Gilbert, staff writer
Photographer Neville Waller and I went to Brisbane to interview 22-year-old James Scott when he returned from his 43 days lost in the Himalayas with only melting snow and two chocolate bars for sustenance.
There had always been this scepticism in Australia at the time that James, who is now a doctor, was pulling a stunt to promote a certain chocolate bar. He was a deeply religious person and I got this feeling that he was totally sincere.
On the first day of his trek he had separated from his trekking partner — a huge blizzard had covered their path and they couldn't agree on whether to continue up the mountains or head back. James chose to head back along a creek which led him to a high, unnavigable waterfall. On the third day, Christmas Eve, he found a rock overhang which would be his only shelter for the next five weeks until a search helicopter found him.
I remember him talking about how he was so malnourished when he got home. And when he was recovering in hospital they would only let him eat very small amounts, because if they let him gorge himself at the time then he could blow up like a balloon. When you're in starvation mode you have to deal with it properly or you can become severely overweight.
The doctors certainly believed he was starved. I interviewed him at his parents' home and I got the impression he came from a very close family. During those long days on the mountain he had written many letters to his loved ones and fiancée until the ink in his pen ran out, causing him further dismay.
Primrose Dunlop and Lorenzo Montesini
— Jenni Gilbert, staff writer
Primrose had been the society writer on Sydney's Sunday Telegraph newspaper and was a nice, knockabout girl — but I think her mother, who was like a sister to her, was keen on getting her daughter a title.
Then along came this chap, who had a dubious title — the flamboyant Egyptian-born Prince Lorenzo Giustiniani Montesini, who was also a Qantas trolley dolly. He didn't turn out to be the ideal choice.
Primmie and Lorenzo had planned a lavish wedding in Venice at the Basilica di San Pietro in April 1990 with 100-plus of Sydney's social set on hand to watch the proceedings. But on the night before the nuptials, Montesini fled with the best man, his long-time companion Robert Straub. They also took with them John Lane, a gentlemen's outfitter who was to have given the bride away in the absence of her father, who had boycotted the wedding.
I think Primrose and her mum probably knew about his past as a confirmed bachelor, and I suppose in the end it was too hard for Lorenzo to go through with the arrangement and he fled.
I had worked with Primrose in the past and I just rang the Ritz hotel in Venice, where she was staying. I didn't think she would talk to me. But I got through to her and we had a long chat. She knew I was working for
Woman's Day and I didn't hide the fact, but I guess she had just been through a really rough experience and needed to have a chat to someone.
— Michael Sheather, staff writer
Editor Nene King was desperate to have this story so I called a friend of mine who worked for Qantas and asked him on which flight Lorenzo would be on coming home to Sydney. I knew where he lived and I slipped a letter under his door on the night he came home. To my surprise he called me and we started talking about a story.
But then agent Harry M. Miller swooped and signed him up — so we got the story but it ended up being a deal between Harry and Nene.
Elton John's gay Aussie lover
— January 18 1993, Nene King, editor, and Michael Sheather, staff writer
"One of my most favourite stories was the sensational cover 'I was Elton's long time lover — gay Aussie tells all'. We had an interview with Elton's secret Aussie squeeze and what a great yarn that was!" says editor-of-the-time Nene King, who ran the story in two instalments. "It sold extremely well and was such a talking point in Australia at the time."
Adds former staff writer (and married man!) Michael Sheather:
"Sometimes you have to do some pretty bizarre things when you work at
Woman's Day. In the summer of 1993, I had to spend 48 hours in a hotel room with Elton's gay lover Gary Clarke — keeping him away from other media until our story came out.
Paul Barry, the author of
The Rise And Rise Of Kerry Packer, called the story 'The low point of publishing in Australia'!"
Caroline: the bald princess
— Di Blackwell, foreign editor and picture editor
A favourite royal over the years has been Princess Caroline of Monaco. She had lost her husband Stefano Casiraghi in a motor boat accident in 1990 and was devastated. Caroline had three little kids and she dropped out and went to live in France.
Then one day, the morning after we had gone to press, I rushed down to the fax machine and saw pictures of Princess Caroline, and she had no hair! She had alopecia [areata] — I think she had shaved what was left of her hair. The pictures were a bit blurry but we wanted those pictures! So I was quickly able to do a deal.
The editor of the time, Bob Cameron, had to stop the presses — we had to change the cover and write another story, and that was very exciting because it was an amazing thing to see. Princess Caroline with no hair!
She was one of the most beautiful women in the world — and here she was, bald!
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