A Today show reporter sent the co-hosts back in the studio into hysterics over an awkward blunder on Wednesday.
Brisbane reporter Andrea Crothers was doing a live cross about 'koala cuddles' being banned at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
Crothers decided to take matters into her own hands by offering free hugs to random passersby.
'Stuff the koalas. Hug me instead,' she told hosts Karl Stefanovic, Sarah Abo, Alex Cullen and Brooke Boney who sat in the Sydney studio.
Crothers then appeared to approach a man who was scrolling his phone and drinking a cup of coffee before she asked: 'Sir, free hug?'
'Uh... yeah,' he answered, before Crothers went in for the embrace.
But the reporter appeared to attempt a little more than she anticipated by leaning in for a kiss with the tradie, a moment that left the Today show panel shocked.
'She went for the pash!' Stefanovic cried.
![A Today show reporter sent the co-hosts back in the studio into hysterics over an awkward blunder on Wednesday. Pictured: Brooke Boney](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/04/05/86907209-13599245-A_Today_show_reporter_sent_the_co_hosts_back_in_the_studio_into_-a-115_1720068635455.jpg)
A Today show reporter sent the co-hosts back in the studio into hysterics over an awkward blunder on Wednesday. Pictured: Brooke Boney
'Wow, straight to second base, Andrea,' Abo added as Boney couldn't contain her laughter.
The moment sparked a wave of support in the comments for the much-loved reporter.
'Way to go Andrea!' one fan wrote, while another added,' She is the best!'
'Love her she is such a legend,' someone else commented.
Crothers was previously a reporter for Sky News Australia before moving to Channel Nine's Today show.
![Brisbane reporter Andrea Crothers was doing a live cross about 'koala cuddles' being banned at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Queensland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/04/05/86907207-13599245-Brisbane_reporter_Andrea_Crothers_was_reporting_about_koala_cudd-a-116_1720068646342.jpg)
![Crothers decided to take matters into her own hands by offering free hugs to random passersby](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/04/05/86907205-13599245-So_the_blonde_reporter_decided_to_take_matters_into_her_own_hand-a-117_1720068654438.jpg)
Brisbane reporter Andrea Crothers was doing a live cross about 'koala cuddles' being banned at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Queensland. Crothers decided to take matters into her own hands by offering free hugs to random passersby
![Crothers then approached a man for a hug, which he obliged, before she leaned in for a kiss](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/04/05/86907211-13599245-Crothers_then_approached_a_man_for_a_hug_which_he_obliged_before-a-118_1720068659293.jpg)
Crothers then approached a man for a hug, which he obliged, before she leaned in for a kiss
In 2023, she fell into one of the black-marble ponds during a live broadcast at Dubai's $1.9billion Atlantis The Royal hotel.
She wrote afterwards: 'What a bloody night… I should also mention I fell off the red carpet into a full pond of water, soaking me up to my waist. Thank goodness sequins hide all manner of sins.'
The hotel's water features, which are set into black marble, were soon dubbed 'black ice' by guests who have mistaken them for part of the floor.
A succession of TikTokers, celebrities and Instagram-users have slipped into the ponds since the hotel opened on February 20, 2023.