Robert Ovadia: Senior Channel Seven journalist is stood down over allegations of inappropriate behaviour with a woman

Senior Channel Seven journalist Robart Ovadia has been stood down while an allegation of inappropriate behaviour by him towards a woman is investigated. 

A Seven spokesperson confirmed the veteran presenter had been placed on leave. 

'Robert Ovadia is on leave. Seven is conducting an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Robert Ovadia,' the spokesperson said. 

Ovadia has reportedly hired a lawyer to represent him while the investigation is being conducted.

'Seven has told me no current or former colleague has made any complaint against me,' Ovadia said in a statement to The Age on Friday. 

'As far as I am aware, I have not been stood down by the company. Any suggestion I have behaved inappropriately at any time is false, malicious and will be defended.'

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that any allegation of inappropriate behaviour made against Ovadia is true.

Anthony De Ceglie, who became Channel Seven's director of news just five weeks ago, recently told staff he has a 'zero tolerance' approach to bad behaviour in the newsroom after a number of senior male employees, including his predecessor Craig McPherson, left the network amid the fallout from the Bruce Lehrmann Spotlight scandal.

Taylor Auerbach, a former senior producer at Spotlight who was Lehrmann's 'babysitter', alleged in documents tendered to the Federal Court that they took drugs and partied with sex workers, with more $10,000 charged back to Seven. 

The court also heard that company expenses had been spent on expensive meals, golf trips and a year's worth of accommodation for Lehrmann that allegedly cost more than $100,000.

Justice Michael Lee later found to a civil standard that Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins. He is appealing against the decision.

The revelation about Ovadia followed an unrelated claim made on Thursday night that rival network Nine Entertainment's chairman Peter Costello allegedly pushed over a reporter from The Australian. 

Mr Costello, who was a former federal treasurer in the Howard government, has denied the allegation, saying: 'There is no assault'. 

'I did not lay a finger or a fist or anything else on him,' he said. 

Mr Costello said reporter Liam Mendes was walking backwards while filming and tripped over an advertising placard.

'I have seen it happen a million times… reporters back into the bollards and fall over,' he said outside Parliament House on Thursday evening.

'I did not strike him.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for further comment.