Transtasman bubble joy: Daughter surprises mum live on air with news she's coming home

The transtasman bubble opening has proven too much for one ecstatic mum, who sobbed her way through a heart-warming radio interview and accidentally let slip a swear word live on air.

Aussie mum Michelle Daniels couldn't control her tears today after her Kiwi-resident daughter Chelsea called her live on Newstalk ZB radio to surprise her with news she had booked flights home.

Adelaide-born Newstalk ZB reporter Chelsea had not been back to visit her family in more than a year after the Covid-19 pandemic restricted travel between New Zealand and Australia last year.

Chelsea Daniels, Newstalk ZB news editor (2nd from right) with mum Michelle, dad Mick and brother Corey. Photo / Supplied

She then revealed to her mum on air that with quarantine-free travel across the Tasman beginning on April 19, she had booked tickets home for May.

That left mum Michelle sobbing in joy.

"I can hardly talk, I'm that thrilled," she said.

"I've missed her and not being able to see her - it has just been so hard."

The Daniels' family was expected to be among thousands of New Zealand and Aussie families rushing to buy the first available quarantine-free tickets between the two countries.

And Chelsea said her dad pounced to buy flights home for her once Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave the bubble the official green light.

"He got the flights immediately - no not immediately, he asked me if I wanted a window or aisle seat," Chelsea joked.

"And I was like: 'shut up, it doesn't matter, just get them'."

Chelsea told radio host Heather du Plessis-Allan she had always been able to go home for the big family events, but last year was the first Christmas she had missed.

Chelsea Daniel and her grandmother Shirley Kay. Photo / Supplied

And in that time her Nana has been diagnosed with dementia.

"I already know from phone calls and FaceTimes that I'm not going home to the woman I left, so I think that is the most important thing at the moment," Chelsea said, breaking into tears.

Chelsea then warned viewers ahead of calling her mum that she was a character and likely to drop in a swear word before anyone else could get a word in.

And mum Michelle didn't disappoint.

Thinking she was just on a call with her daughter, Michelle began telling Chelsea that the sight of a private number on her phone had left her wondering "who the f*** is this".

Amid laughs, Chelsea then quickly jumped in to surprise her mum with news she was coming home.

At first, an impatient Michelle could only ask when her daughter had booked the flights for, as the tears began to flow.

"So you can't come now ... when have you booked Chels, when have you booked?"

She then recovered to express her joy.

"Oh my god I am absolutely ecstatic, isn't this wonderful news," she said.

"God bless Jacinda, she came through."