Channel 7 has come out swinging against whoever leaked a video of two news anchors slagging off Novak Djokovic off-air. You can watched the leaked clip below (it contains some strong language):

7News Melbourne presenters Rebecca Maddern and Mike Amor were having an informal chat about the Serbian tennis player and the controversy of him being in Australia without a Covid-19 vaccination.

But the camera was still rolling and someone managed to record every word they said.

The video has since been posted on social media, where it's gone absolutely viral.

Seven Network Director of News and Public Affairs Craig McPherson has issued a scathing statement against the individual or individuals who recorded the video and uploaded it.

He said: "The illegal recording was of a private conversation between two colleagues. It was an underhanded, cowardly act in breach of the Victorian Listening Devices legislation the perpetrator of which will be accordingly dealt with when found."

Channel 7 managing director Lewis Martin added to 3AW Radio: "There has been an illegal recording of a private conversation. It is something that is going to be looked at and is being looked at thoroughly.

"We are going to have an outcome. What has happened here is illegal."

In the off-air rant, Maddern turned to Amor and said: "Whatever way you look at it, Novak Djokovic is a lying, sneaky a***hole."

Amor replied: "He's an a***hole."

Maddern continued: "Like whatever way you look at it, it's unfortunate that everybody else stuffed up around him."

Amor then reiterated: "That's it, I mean he's an a***hole."

Later in their conversation, Maddern said the tennis star had a 'bulls*** f***ing excuse' and 'fell over his own 'f***ing lies'.

Amor then said he thinks 'he's going to get away with it' - a point that Maddern agreed with - before he continued: "I think most fair minded people would say, 'Look, the bloke's an a***hole'. Did we, did they do the right thing by him? I don't know."

Maddern replied: "No. I don't think so."

When Amor says 'they f***ed it up' and that 'that's the problem', Maddern went on: "I don't think, I don't think anything was gained by putting him in [an] immigration hotel."

Amor then said: "No, but the trouble is, how do you justify the person [who is] also on the same plane with him who also has..."

His colleague argued that 'you can't justify it', adding: "But the fact is, life is never fair'.

She then said: "Some people fly first class and some people, do you know what, it's never fair."

Amor replied: "Yeah. But that poor Czech girl that was f***ing sent home. Hunted down and sent home."