Live recorded television is bound to have the occasional mix-up, but none was as disastrous and epic as the final episode of Australia’s Next Top Model in 2010.
The final two contestants, Kelsey Martinovich and Amanda Ware, anxiously shared the stage with host Sarah Murdoch in the last moments of the series. After some dramatic build up, Murdoch announces that the winner is Martinovich.
The crowd goes wild and the celebrations commence as Martinovich begins to thank the producers and contestants.
However, the moment of realisation and dread is immediately recognisable on Murdoch’s face as she comes to terms with the massive mistake they’ve just made on live television.
“Oh my god, I don’t know what to say right now. I’m feeling a bit sick about this,” says Murdoch. “No… I’m so sorry about this. Oh my god. I don’t know what to say. This was a complete accident. It’s Amanda. I’m so sorry.”
Considering the painfully awkward moment, all three of them compose themselves
Murdoch attempts to justify the mistake by highlighting that it was so close and the winner was down to the last few votes.
Ware throws in a cautious “Woo!” trying to make light of the situation while also celebrating her win of Australia’s Next Top Model.
Watch the original video!
According to PerthNow, Murdoch sat down with Karl Stefanovic is explained that her ear piece had gone dead and made the call from her own memory of the results, unaware that the result had changed.
“The point was that I was going to be contacted through my ear and I wasn’t, so I was going with what I had been told. As far as I knew, it was the right call.”
Over ten years on, all parties have probably moved on from the ordeal. However, it inarguably stands as one of the biggest blunders in live television history and one that only gets more painful with each watch.
