Australian gossip columnist apologizes after being accused of attempting to out Rebel Wilson

An Australian journalist has issued an apology to actress Rebel Wilson after being accused of trying to reveal her sexuality, The Guardian reported on Monday.

Andrew Hornery, a gossip columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald, reportedly messaged Wilson’s team last week, giving them two days to provide comment for a story about Wilson’s relationship with a woman, which was not yet public knowledge.

Wilson beat Hornery to the punch and took her relationship with fashion designer Ramona Agruma public via Instagram on Thursday before his story was published.

“I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince… but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess,” the Australian actress captioned her post, adding, “#loveislove.”

Hornery then published a different column, this one complaining about her move. He had reached out to her representatives with “an abundance of caution and respect,” he claims.

“Big mistake,” he added.

Hornery’s response to the alleged snub sparked backlash from readers, prompting the Herald to remove the column.

Hornery has since apologized, saying, “My email was never intended to be a threat.”

He added, “It is not the Herald’s business to ‘out’ people and that is not what we set out to do. But I understand why my email has been seen as a threat. The framing of it was a mistake.”