Sylvia Jeffreys blasts Ellen's 'ugly' Mariah Carey pregnancy trick

Today extra host Sylvia Jeffreys has added her voice to the mix of people speaking out against US talk show megastar Ellen DeGeneres.

An unexpected addition to the raft of commentators from employees slamming what they claim was a toxic work culture to high-profile celebrities decrying and defending the host in equal measure, Sylvia was compelled to speak out over recently resurfaced footage of the host’s interview with a pregnant Mariah Carey in 2008.

David Campbell Sylvia Jeffreys horrified at ellen pregnancy trick
Sylvia Jeffreys has slammed Ellen over an 'ugly' stunt she pulled on Mariah Carey. Photo: Nine

Covering the now-highly controversial interview on Today Extra on Tuesday, Sylvia and co-host David Campbell could not contain their disgust at the way the interview unfolded.

In the original clip, Ellen brings up rumours that Mariah was pregnant at the time, which she had not yet confirmed, and by challenging her to drink Champagne forced her to reveal the pregnancy she later miscarried.

Revisiting the moment, Sylvia who welcomed her own baby with husband Peter Stefanovic in February, could not contain her horror at the interview, slamming it as ‘the ugliest thing’ she’s seen in the saga so far.

“You were verbal just then watching that,” Peter prompted Sylvia.

“Oh it's awful,” Sylvia responded. “It’s ugly, ugly behaviour, and if she was not in on the joke, which she says she is not, then Ellen really has some explaining to do on that one.”

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Usually, women wait until their second trimester before announcing a pregnancy, as miscarriage risk can be very high in the first three months, something Sylvia nodded too when she continued her assessment of the situation.

“You cannot put a woman in that position,” she said firmly.

“That's maybe the ugliest thing I've seen in this whole saga so far... that's a clear case of bullying.”

Mariah ‘extremely uncomfortable’ with interview

Ellen Mariah Carey 2008 pregnancy Champagne trick
Ellen has come under fire after Mariah said she was 'uncomfortable' with the sneaky pregnancy trick. Photo: Nine

The strong takedown of the host over the moment comes after Mariah revealed the devastating real story behind the slightly uncomfortable clip in an interview with Vulture this week.

Mariah, who was pregnant at the time ut had yet to announce it, revealed she was ‘extremely uncomfortable’ with the stunt, and had no idea it was coming,

The five-time Grammy winner had deliberately avoided discussing the pregnancy, still in early stages, as she had suffered a miscarriage beforehand, and was forced to announce it because of the alcohol stunt.

“I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say,” she told the publication. “And I really have had a hard time grappling with the aftermath.”

“I wasn’t ready to tell anyone because I had had a miscarriage,” she revealed. “I don’t want to throw anyone that’s already being thrown under any proverbial bus, but I didn’t enjoy that moment.”

The savage takedown of ellen by Jeffreys comes after Channel Nine announced they would be pulling The Ellen Show from air in the wake of multiple allegations of toxic workplace culture and bullying against the host.

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