BROADCASTER George Hook revealed he received a Christmas card over the festive period threatening a home visit to his wife if he returned to the airwaves.
Speaking to The Irish Sun, the 77-year-old Newstalk presenter will return to the station tomorrow after he was taken off air in September 2017 over controversial comments he made about rape.
The former presenter of High Noon will return to the station Hook's Saturday Sit-In on Saturdays from 8am to 10am.
Hook, a former rugby pundit, said he spoke to his family before considering his return to radio.
He said: “I wouldn’t have agreed to anything if even one of them had any reservations about it.
“I’m long enough in the tooth to take it but it’s unfair on them when they are brought in to something through no fault of their own.”
After his suspension from the weekday lunchtime slot, Hook says he received a lot of support, but he's seen 'the other side' also.
The presenter said: “I’m not sure what to expect, to be honest. I received a lot of support, and am still in the process of replying to everyone who took the time to write to me, but I’ve also seen the other side of things.
“Just this week I had a Christmas card saying, ‘if you come back on radio I’ll pay a home visit to Ingrid.'
“It was sent to the family home with the eircode, which I didn’t know myself.”
Hook added: “It’s shocking to see the level of abuse that is out there, particularly on social media. And it’s not going away.
“In fact it’s getting worse. Now people think that because they can say something online, they can then say it in person.
“I’m big and ugly enough to take it but imagine that was sent to a vulnerable teenager," he said.
He received widespread condemnation following his on-air comments about rape in September.
Following backlash, the presenter apologised 'unreservedly' for the comments which caused hurt and offence and said it was 'unacceptable' to attribute any blame could be attributed to victims of rape.
Returning after a four month suspension by the station, his new feature-led show Hook’s Saturday Sit-In will involve interviews, reviews and regular items on travel, music and US politics.
