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Radio host slammed for quiz question about Charlise Mutten

A Sydney radio show host has been criticised for running a quiz question about Charlise Mutten.

Charlise, 9, went missing in the Blue Mountains on January 14 while on holiday with her mum and mum's partner. She was found dead in a barrel five days later following an extensive search of bushland.

It is alleged she was murdered by her mum’s partner Justin Stein.

Marcus Paul, who hosts a program on radio station 2SM, used Charlise as the subject of a news quiz question on Thursday.

“The beautiful young girl who was allegedly tragically murdered this week, Charlise Mutten, went to school in which NSW suburb,” Paul asked a listener.

"They held a vigil outside her school last night."

Charlise Mutten, 9, is pictured.
Charlise Mutten, 9, was found dead earlier this week. Source: 10 News

He then told the listener “time’s ticking” as he struggled to answer. The man couldn’t figure it out either.

“Give us a call if you happen to have the answer to that question, … if you get it correct, you get the goodies,” he said.

The “goodies” Paul was referring to was an Adele CD.

A buzzer went off if the listener got it wrong.

Paul responded to the criticism on Friday morning's show.

"You've got to remember. This quiz is about the day's news," he said.

"And the question specifically related to where the vigil for her was held."

He added "in hindsight" he could have chosen a different question as Charlise's death is "obviously quite raw for people".

"Lesson learnt from me," Paul said.

2SM host Marcus Paul is pictured. He was criticised for a quiz question about Charlise Mutten.
2SM host Marcus Paul has copped criticism and issued an apology for asking a quiz question about Charlise Mutten. Source: Facebook/ Marcus Paul in the Morning

Segment criticised as 'totally insensitive'

Daniel Morcombe Foundation co-founder Bruce Morcombe told The Daily Telegraph the comments were "totally insensitive".

“We lost Daniel 18 years ago, and honestly I take (the incident) personally, he's elected to trivialise something which is a horrendous act … it's disgraceful,” Mr Morcombe told the paper.

He called for an on-air apology

On Twitter, the segment had some people enraged calling it “vile”.

“The insensitivity is astounding,” one woman tweeted.

One man called it “disgusting”.

The radio station told the paper it had no comment to offer as it was investigating the segment.

The show also offered an apology on its Facebook page.

"Let us be clear there was no ill intent or malice in the broadcast, and Marcus has done much in the past both on and off air in supporting victims of crime," it wrote.

"However, Marcus acknowledges the question was inappropriate and ill-thought, and the program does apologise unreservedly to anyone who might have been offended."

Yahoo News Australia has contacted 2SM for comment.

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