Tony Jones just cannot seem to escape the footage that will haunt him forever, no matter how far away we get from it.
Even as he celebrated 40 years at Nine News, Rebecca Judd was there to remind Jones of his most embarrassing moment on TV.
The moment that left him red-faced came in August 2016, when the news host attempted to kiss colleague Judd on the cheek as she prepared to go on maternity leave.
The then 33-year-old, quickly pulled away and yelped before breaking into a fit of laughter.
That left ‘Chompers’ severely embarrassed as he crossed his arms and grumbled ‘Okay, good, this is going well.’
Judd took the whole thing in good humour, and has continued to remind Jones of his mistake at different points since 2016.
Tony Jones attempted to kiss Bec Judd on the cheek as she was set to go on maternity leave having forgot the flowers he intended to give her
The long-running joke resurfaced repeatedly on television, even prompting Jones to walk off set during a Footy Show segment
Even as the presenter celebrated 40 years at the network, Judd reminded him of his error on air
Speaking on Channel Nine, Judd said, ‘You are an icon.
‘It was wonderful to work with you so many years ago. And you taught me so much about live TV.
‘So Chompers, happy anniversary on your 40 years at Nine.
‘Unlike that fateful night when you forgot my flowers so all you had to offer was a kiss… I ain’t doing that, I remembered the flowers.
‘Congratulations, enjoy.’Â
Jones spoke of the kissing incident that has followed him around like a bad smell recently, saying he expects it to define his legacy. Â
‘I say when my time in television comes to an end I’ll be remembered for two things – stuffing up a handball and trying to plant one on Bec Judd. In both instances I missed the target.’
‘The look of repulsion on Bec’s face, I knew I was in for an uncomfortable couple of weeks but I didn’t expect it to be an uncomfortable couple of years.’Â
Jones later revealed the moment was not planned, explaining he had intended to present Judd with flowers but improvised when they were not available.
Despite the passage of time, the clip continues to resurface, often at his expense.
Judd herself recently revisited the moment after the pair crossed paths at the Brownlow Medal, revealing Jones appeared reluctant to repeat the gesture.
‘He didn’t. I was a bit disappointed … I think he’s scared to be honest,’ she said.
Jones didn’t shy away from that assessment, later admitting: ‘Was I scared last night? Absolutely.’
He explained he weighed up his options before deciding against any physical greeting.
‘I thought I’ve got four options here. Plant one again? Hug her? Shake hands? Or just let it go.’
‘I chose to let it go.’
