Channel Nine's Danika Mason Apologises for Slurred Winter Olympics Broadcast
Channel Nine reporter Danika Mason has issued a public apology after her live cross from the Winter Olympics went viral due to noticeably slurred speech. The incident occurred during a Wednesday morning sports update on the Today show, where Mason stumbled through her words and made an obscure comment about being "not sure about the iguanas."
During the segment, Mason also discussed the price of coffee in Italy and the United States before lying down to create snow angels. Today host Karl Stefanovic suggested immediately afterwards that Mason's speech issues might have been caused by the "cold air."
Mason Takes Full Responsibility
On Thursday morning, Mason apologised during her cross to Today, stating: "I shouldn't have had a drink, and especially in these conditions, it's cold, we've got altitude, and not having had dinner probably didn't help as well. I want to take full responsibility. It's not the standard that I set for myself ... I'm really sorry."
The regular host of the network's NRL coverage expressed hope that attention would return to the "amazing few days" remaining at the Winter Olympics. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered support on Thursday morning, telling Nova Melbourne that he was "pro-Danika" and attributing the incident to fatigue and time difference effects.
A History of Australian Media Bloopers
Live television presents significant challenges, and Mason is far from the first Australian media personality to experience a viral mishap. The Australian broadcasting landscape has witnessed numerous memorable bloopers over the years.
Sarah Murdoch's Next Top Model Muddle: In 2010, host Sarah Murdoch incorrectly announced Kelsey Martinovich as the winner of Australia's Next Top Model before correcting herself live on air, stating: "It's Amanda, I'm so sorry. It was fed to me wrong."
Karl Stefanovic's Dalai Lama Joke: The Today host attempted comedy during a 2011 interview with the Dalai Lama, telling a pizza shop joke that fell flat with the spiritual leader.
Andrew Rochford's Introduction Error: The Project host Andrew Rochford introduced comedian Kitty Flanagan as "Clitty Flanagan" during a 2013 live cross, prompting Flanagan to quip about his job security if he continued using the mispronunciation.
Lee Lin Chin's Unexpected Moment: Veteran SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin was caught off guard in 2010 when the camera returned to her unexpectedly, leading her to begin asking "Who is that handsome ..." before composing herself to present the next story.
Belinda Russell's URL Slip: Today show presenter Belinda Russell accidentally directed viewers to "Lego dot cum" instead of "Lego dot com" during a 2020 broadcast, causing co-presenter David Campbell to struggle containing his laughter.
Belinda Heggen's Cricket Comment: During a 2011 Ten News bulletin, presenter Belinda Heggen responded to co-host Mark Aiston's comment about something small being impressive with: "Well, Mark, you would know about that," before smoothly transitioning to the weather segment.
Natasha Exelby's Missed Cue: Casual ABC journalist Natasha Exelby went viral in 2017 after missing her cue on live television, her face transforming into a horrified gasp. ABC director of news Gaven Morris later clarified that reports of her being fired were untrue, noting that "live television is a demanding art and slip-ups will happen."
Mal Meninga's Abrupt Exit: Former rugby league star Mal Meninga cut short his first radio interview as a politician on ABC Canberra in 2011, stating "I'm buggered, I'm sorry, I can't do it" before leaving the studio.
Tony Armstrong's Word Trip: ABC News Breakfast presenter Tony Armstrong stumbled while reporting that cricketer Tim Paine had a bulging disc in his neck in 2021, prompting fellow presenter Michael Rowland to ask: "Bulging what?"
These incidents collectively demonstrate that even experienced broadcasters can encounter difficulties with live television, where unexpected moments often become memorable parts of Australian media history.
