Throughout lockdowns, freedoms, alert levels and traffic light systems Aotearoa's TV current affairs presenters have been through it all with their viewers.
Sometimes live television can go awry, and the Herald's entertainment team has trawled through the year that was to bring you the most shocking, emotional and hilarious moments that current affairs TV had to offer us this year.
Whether it was blunders on Breakfast, news anchors' TikTok dances, or shock announcements on air, there were many iconic moments on screen.
The TVNZ presenter was merely a dark shadow at the beginning of his weather segment as he ran across the camera during the tail end of the news bulletin.
Jenny Suo called him out on his blunder, and the chaos didn't end there.
McLean then lost control of his weather-pointing broom and it went crashing to the ground.
Suo said his bulletin today was one to remember.
"Nice one Matty, I think you should clip that up and keep it in your archives," she said. "Keep that to show your grandkids."
Melissa Stokes bursts into laughter as Indira Stewart walks across the screen during live segment
TVNZ's Breakfast host Melissa Stokes had to control fits of laughter on air in July.
The newsreader and presenter struggled to keep her composure when Indira Stewart accidentally walked into the shot.
Speaking through giggles, Stokes told viewers "normally I would just ignore it, but it was quite like 'dum-dee-doo'," she said, imitating how Stewart had walked behind her on camera.
And that wasn't all - the gaffe prompted Stokes to accidentally mess up her pronunciation of guest Professor Graham Le Gros.
Wendy Petrie wows with dance routine
While this one wasn't broadcast on live TV, we reckon it counts because it went viral on TikTok.
Taking a leaf out of Breakfast's book, Petrie joined weather presenter Renee Wright and showed off an impressive routine set to Mariah Carey's Fantasy.
On TikTok she wrote: "Our producer said 'have more fun' after we played Breakfasts' Child on the 6pm news. Is this what you meant?"
The former competitive cheerleader proved that she's still got it.
'Unflappable': Reporter's live cross from Te Awamutu interrupted by boy racers, sirens
TVNZ reporter Nicole Bremner showed her incredible powers of concentration as she remained focused on her reporting of the Waikato Covid-19 boundary during a "chaotic" live cross from a Te Awamutu intersection.
Her segment was constantly interrupted by boy racers doing burnouts, as well as sirens going off in the background. She remained focused in the face of all the chaos.
Watch the clip above to see how much Bremner aces it.
Fans of the AM show will be tuning into an entirely different show next year.
In August, Duncan Garner announced he was leaving after a couple of weeks off the air.
Garner cited "brutal hours" as one of the reasons behind his exit from the morning show.
Ryan Bridge was brought in to replace Garner, and viewers were again shocked when it was announced Amanda Gillies and Mark Richardson would not be returning to the show in the new year.
Ryan Bridge reduced to tears as Mark Richardson apologises
It wasn't a blunder, but in one of the most emotional scenes on morning television this year, Bridge was brought to tears by Richardson's words.
Less than 20 minutes into the final show, Richardson apologised again for revealing Bridge's sexuality on air in October 2019, when Bridge had never disclosed it.
At the time, Richardson joked that Bridge had a collection of ex-boyfriends before realising what he had done.
Richardson said: "I felt like I let you down. Because you said, 'look, we don't go there'. I was disappointed because I let you down through not thinking.
"I also look at where you've come since that as a broadcaster and you've grown leaps and bounds."
Richardson's apology brought Bridge to tears.
Wiping away the tears, Bridge responded saying: "I get emotional when I look at that because I think, again it wasn't your intention to do that but, I just look at that and I'm like man that guy [Bridge] was holding something back, you know?"
"I Googled myself"
It can't all be serious moments of emotion on the AM Show - and one of the host's anecdotes proved it.
On Three's current affairs show, one of the stand-out moments of the year was when The Project host Kanoa Lloyd made a special announcement in March.
Her co-host Jesse Mulligan teased there would be a special announcement on the show that night.
The TV presenter delivered the news that she is expecting her first child with her husband, freelance editor and colourist Mikee Carpinter, whom she married in 2016.
"I am leaving The Project… on maternity leave!" she said during the show.
"I've got the coolest baby daddy in the world," the presenter added, with the camera panning to the audience, where her husband was sitting, to share the special moment in the studio with his wife.
Jeremy Wells' ankles?!
Leave it to Hilary Barry and Jeremy Wells to keep the giggles going during times of uncertainty.
