Kochie breaks silence on Lindt Café siege terror
David ‘Kochie’ Koch spared no emotion as he spoke for the first time about how he was tracked down and whisked to safety by police on the day of the Lindt Café siege.
The veteran TV presenter reflected on the crippling ordeal during an interview with M’s Rush Hour with Leisel Jones, Liam and Dobbo, which was secured by news.com.au.
“I’ve never talked about it,” Koch revealed when asked about the devastating events of December 15, 2014. “It had a massive impact on both Nat (Natalie Barr) and I.
“The bloke involved in that (Man Haron Monis) was on our security watch list because he’d tried to get to me a few times,” Koch told the Triple M hosts.
Six years before the siege, Monis had approached Koch and other Sunrise presenters as they chatted with fans outside the Martin Place studios.
Monis was unhappy with a segment that had aired on the show and he allegedly accused the hosts of being “terrorists” before he was taken away by security.
On the morning of the siege, Koch left the Channel 7 studios after Sunrise was over and went to a gym three blocks away.
He was working out with a friend when the news of the hostage situation first broke.
“I remember I got a call … (saying) ‘can I come to (the gym’s) reception,’” Koch shared.
On the other end of the phone was the police, who were concerned that the TV presenter could be one of Monis’ targets.
According to Koch, the police told him, “We’re coming to pick you up, take you home, you stay there until we tell you.’”
Koch said the events that unfolded “had a massive impact” on him and led him to take his security much more seriously.
“I have a car that I haven’t driven since because the police said it’s too distinctive,” he said.
During the interview, Rush Hour co-host and Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones revealed she was very closely caught up in the terror attack, which claimed the lives of café manager Tori Johnson and lawyer Katrina Dawson.
“I was actually supposed to be in the Lindt Cafe,” Jones, who was working at the nearby Westpac building at time, shared. “(But) I didn’t want hot chocolate, I chose coffee.”
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