New Zealand's top live TV screw-ups (watch mishaps)

I'm sorry we appear to be having some technical difficulties.

"This is what happens when you have live TV folks, I'm so sorry."

Don't be sorry, Sarah Murdoch. Both models get a trip and some cash, and your show is being watched all over the world - everyone wins.

There is a lot to love about live TV. There is a magic you simply can't get from pre-recording - even if you shoot "as live".

Imagine if you'd been at home watching as

Paul Henry said "c**t

at the Film and TV Awards? They couldn't have beeped that.

So you have to applaud C4 for running the

New Zealand Music Awards

live next Thursday, particularly with that crowd of heathens and turpsed-up musos.

I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

Sure, there are plenty of folklore tales that you can't see any more - Fenella Bathfield having a wardrobe malfunction on

3:45 Live

, Mikey Havoc's extended-length car-crash final episode of

Quality Time

and the MP who stood up in Parliament and got confused by "cunning stunts".

But thanks to the modern day web phenomenon, these beauties are there for all to see...

The David Bain fistpump

I actually felt quite sorry for Wendy at the time, this was widely misinterpreted as being a celebration of David Bain's acquittal, when it was actually just a celebration of "nailing" a live cross.

And the Bain saga turned into the gift that kept on giving.

Oh man, Dallow constantly comes up with the goods. If he's not getting into biffo or telling lezzie jokes, he's delivering some of the best blink-and-you'll-miss-it clangers around.

And to complete the

One News

dream-team threesome, Jim Hickey dishes up a pearler.

If there is one thing reporters like, it's a drink. If there's a second thing, it's a freebie. But some say Dominic Bowden's attempts at paying back the PR company for the free iPhone with a little 'product placement' went too far.

Over at the underdog, a late-night timeslot didn't prevent

Sports Tonight

host Penny Ydgren's own-goal becoming viral. Still, she's taken a leaf out of the Hillary Barry school of remaining good humoured when things go loco.

Yes, YouTube may have brought moments that hosts would have preferred left forgotten back into the consciousness, but New Zealand could still use a show that pokes a long, uncomfortable stick at broadcasting.

Although, such a show wouldn't have time to present the full build-up, as we've been able to do here with the most infamous live water-cooler moment of recent history.

Before the step-daughter, before the panty handshake, before "cheeky darkie", there was Dennis.