Tony Jones will ‘walk off set’ if his awkward kiss attempt on Bec Judd is shown again
It may be four years since his awkward onscreen attempt to smooch Bec Judd went viral, but Tony Jones is still copping flak for the gaffe. Now the sports presenter says he has hit his limit and won’t tolerate any more cheap shots.
Entertainment
Don't miss out on the headlines from Entertainment. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It is one of the most famous awkward kiss attempts in TV history.
But it seems Tony Jones has finally had enough of the references to his 2016 viral moment with Rebecca Judd.
The Nine Sports presenter has failed to live down the awkward encounter live on air when Judd turned away as he tried to bid her farewell before going on maternity leave.
On 3AW today, he told host Neil Mitchell he doesn’t want to see the footage again.
“Neil, can I put this on the public record, your show is the most listened to radio show in Melbourne right, but I will say, if I see that played one more time at Channel 9 I will walk off the set. I do not want to see that kiss again.”
Mitchell was responding to a caller who said they’d like to see a social media hook-up between Jones and Judd.
He set the challenge for Nine News presenter Peter Hitchener.
“Peter Hitchener please find a reason to play it tonight and see if he walks off,” Mitchell said.
Jones has copped most flak for the August 2016 incident from his AFL Sunday Footy Show colleagues.
After years of memes and endless jokes, he has tried to explain what really happened and blamed it on a botched effort to produce some flowers.
“I’ve put up with that crap for years, and it’s not my fault,” Jones said in March this year.
“Our news director, Hugh Nailon, here at Channel 9 at Melbourne. He didn’t organise the flowers. I was supposed to present Bec the flowers.
“And when we realised he’d forgotten to organise the flowers, I said, well I’m going home.
“And then I think John Murphy was the floor manager, he sort of said, you’re going to stay here, you’ll stay here and play happy families. Well that was a real happy family, wasn’t it?
“So it wasn’t my fault.”
However, with no flowers on hand to present, his fellow panellists asked why he decided to go in for the kiss instead.
“To wish her luck,” Jones responded.
At the time a red faced Jones said of the viral incident: “All I could think of was please let this end and throw to the closer.
“Most people can see the funny side of it. It might look awkward but we all do get on like a house on fire.”
Judd responded by tweeting Jones: “You know I love you.”
Jones hasn’t been far from the headlines this year when it comes to awkward moments.
He was part of a much talked-about run-in with Eddie McGuire during a live cross last month.
MORE NEWS
TIM LANE OPENS UP ON HIS 2002 FALLOUT WITH EDDIE MCGUIRE