Jeremy Wells took a top out of Hilary Barry's wardrobe on Thursday night's episode of Seven Sharp. Photo / TVNZ
Kiwi viewers usually know what they are in for with their 7pm TV viewing.
On TVNZ 1 you’ve got Seven Sharp with the lovable Jeremy Wells and sassy Hilary Barry. Then if you switch over to Three you’ve got the whole gang on The Project primed for a laugh.
But last night, viewers couldn’t possibly have expected the wild wardrobe antics that ensued during the usually chill TV slot. Between a scandalous off-the-shoulder top and a twinning moment, it was a doozy.
It all kicked off when Barry - no stranger to shouldering complaints from the public about her fashion choices - and Wells had Seven Sharp fans in hysterics.
Subtly calling out those who previously scrutinised Barry for her shoulder-baring tops, the majority of Thursday night’s episode saw Wells wearing a suit and tie, however in the final two minutes of the show he changed things up.
Wearing a patterned off-the-shoulder top that he appeared to have plucked from the wardrobe of his co-host, Barry fiddled with the sleeve of it before telling Wells, “I think it looks quite nice.”
“Oh thanks, wonder what Barbara will say,” Wells said in reply - a seeming dig toward those who have criticised Barry in the past.
As the two signed off from the show, Wells could be seen having a little shoulder shimmy in the top appearing quite comfortable - who doesn’t love a secure man?
It comes days after Barry posted a photo of herself wearing an off-the-shoulder top on her Instagram with a red arrow drawn on the picture pointing to her shoulder. She captioned the post “trigger warning”.
She posted another photo last night, this time of Wells in the off-the-shoulder top with the same red arrow and caption, “trigger warning?”
It provoked hundreds of comments from friends and fans of the star, with New Zealand cricketer Grant Elliot appearing to sarcastically write, “Little bit too much flesh there from Jeremy. He likes to put himself out there doesn’t he?”
Barry replied, “I didn’t expect to have to share my clothes with him!”
Meanwhile, a fan commented, “Double standards if it’s okay for him but not for you!” A third commented, “Absolutely brilliant - both of you! Down with the Karens and Darrens the haters and fakers!”
But it wasn’t the only surprising wardrobe moment on tv last night as it seems the floaty yellow top Barry wore on Seven Sharp, was seen also on The Project’s Kanoa Lloyd - the show’s rival broadcast.
Taking to Facebook it was none other than Marcus Lush who pointed out the coincidence.
Appearing to refer to a call he received on his ZB night show, Lush wrote, “Just checked on Joan’s call that Hilary and Lloyd had matching outfits tonight - and she’s 100 per cent right!”
The post received hundreds of likes and comments with one person commenting, “They both rocked it… looking good ladies!”, while another said, “Gorgeous! They both look fab.”
Barry and Lloyd are yet to post about the twinning moment on their social media.
In 2021 Barry slammed one critic who told her that wearing a shoulder-bearing top on television was “hardly appropriate”.
“Hilary,” the outraged New Zealander wrote, “that top is hardly appropriate for the role of a tv presenter. Come on you can do better than this.”
“Perhaps you could be more specific?” Barry countered, only to be met with radio silence.
Previously, in December 2020, she taunted her critics on Instagram when she shared a pic of the outfit.
“Some might accuse me of deliberately dressing like this to wind up Ken, Geoff and Barbara. They’re not wrong,” she captioned the photo. “#dressingmyage #shoulderslut”.