John Campbell gets emotional. Photo / TV3
Campbell Live began trending on social media with a heated response from fans following news the TV3 current affairs show is facing the axe.
MediaWorks confirmed it is undertaking a review and deciding on its future.
Social media went into bat for the show and host John Campbell. It is understood a new daily soap opera will replace it.
Here's how it played out online.
An activist group started a social media petition
They have 22,000 signatures and counting. Sign it yourself
here
.
Songbird Hollie Smith wondered which petition to back
This woman had a backup plan should the petitions fail
Former rival Mark Sainsbury, who was dumped as Close Up host, offered empathy
Alison Mau, who was dumped from Seven Sharp, offered love
Labour MP Chris Hipkins weighed in with his views and made it about poor kids and comparisons
Art historian Hamish Keith likened it to terrorism in France
Kim Dotcom blamed the National party
Born-again Christian Dave Dobbyn blamed Satan. Or the Nats
This Fairfax journalist wondered if reality TV was to blame
This Herald journalist wisely wondered whether Campbell Live has more social media friends than viewers
This former Campbell Live reporter acknowledged ratings are down but said the show can make a difference
James McOnie, whose sports show The Crowd Goes Wild is on at the same time as Campbell Live, said ratings aren't everything
His colleague Andrew Mulligan kept the faith
David Cunliffe, who knows how to lose a popularity contest, wondered if Campbell's demise meant, 'Mike Hosking is the new normal'. Whatever that means
Tory MP Todd Barclay made his affiliations clear. Then deleted his tweet. But it was screengrabbed
Labour's spokesperson for broadcasting, Clare Curran, let rip and is ready for a fight
Others calmly offered help
And loyalty
Then Jono and Ben entered the fire to extinguish the flames that they are to replace the show. They denied all knowledge
And the man himself, John Campbell, had these words