Shock link between Adele and Channel 7 insider at the centre of Bruce Lehrmann's defamation case

The one-man wrecking ball responsible for reopening Bruce Lehrmann's blockbuster defamation trial also had a part to play in another infamous Channel Seven debacle. 

Presenter Matt Doran achieved global infamy after failing to listen to Adele's new album before an exclusive chat with her in London in November, 2021, which was part of a $1million package deal Seven had signed with the 'Hello' hitmaker.

The Weekend Sunrise host, 41, was suspended by the network for two weeks and forced to eat humble pie after Adele's record label Sony refused to release the footage.

But it has since emerged that Taylor Auerbach was the producer on the ill-fated trip to London. 

Mr Auerbach is the ex-Spotlight journalist who last week blew open Mr Lehrmann's defamation trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson. 

He gave evidence over two days after swearing a 2,300-page affidavit alleging that the Seven Network covered the cost of lavish dinners, cocaine and Thai prostitutes for Mr Lehrmann. 

Clearly no stranger to controversy, media insiders are now claiming Mr Auerbach should have shouldered the blame alongside Doran for the bungled Adele interview. 

'It’s the producer’s job on these kinds of stories to make sure all the research is done and that the reporter has everything they need,' a Seven source told The Australian's Media Diary. 

'But when the Adele thing blew up, Taylor didn’t cop any of the heat, publicly.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Auerbach for comment. 

Doran shared a selfie on Instagram on the day of the interview where Mr Auerbach can be seen grinning alongside a cameraman with Tower Bridge in the background. 

'Back at it with the boys! This one is going to be pretty special,' Doran captioned the post. 

Reports later surfaced that an 'offended' Adele had 'stormed out' of the interview, after Doran told her he'd only heard one song from her latest release.

Sony, which had filmed the interview rather than Seven, responded by banning the network from airing any part of it.

Doran claimed he had 'missed' an email containing a link to the new album the day after they arrived in London.  

'It was an oversight but not a deliberate snub,' he said.

'This is the most important email I have ever missed.' 

It is unclear if Mr Auerbach also received the same email.  

Doran said he was 'mortified and unequivocally apologetic' by the episode.

'This story has sparked, from around the world, a torrent of abuse and mockery – and if I’m being honest with you, the bulk of this savaging I deserve and totally own,' he said.

But the TV personality also denied reports that Adele had 'stormed out', insisting they spoke for a further nine minutes after he had admitted to not listening to the album.

Seven reportedly spent $1million on the ill-fated interview, in a deal which saw them also air an Oprah chat with Adele and footage from her One Night Only concert. 

Doran landed himself in hot water again in June last year when he went missing while reporting on the Hunter Valley bus crash tragedy.

When he failed to turn up for his spot on Sunrise, worried colleagues contacted police.

He was found a short time later and did not return to air for several weeks. 

At the time of the Adele interview, Mr Auerbach was a producer with Spotlight. 

The gaffe does not appear to have affected his career, as he went on to work on a number of big interviews.

These included an exclusive interview with fraudster Melissa Caddick's husband and Bruce Lehrmann's bombshell two-part series.

Last week, Mr Auerbach claimed he was offered a promotion and a pay rise after spending $10,000 on Thai massages when trying to woo Mr Lehrmann.

Seven network denies that he was offered a promotion. Mr Lehrmann denies ever receiving a massage.