Australian sports reporter apologizes for drinking alcohol before Winter Olympic broadcast live shot

Australian sports presenter Danika Mason apologized Thursday after drinking alcohol before a Channel Nineβs Today show live Winter Olympics broadcast. Mason slurred her words throughout the segment and went off-topic, discussing iguanas when the segment had been focused on coffee. Studio host Karl Stefanovic attempted to cover for Mason, saying that cold weather can affect speech.
βI want to take full responsibility, itβs not the standard I set myself,β Mason said Thursday. βSo in saying that, Iβm genuinely really sorry and Iβm thanking everyone for those messages Iβve received as well.β
Mason added that she shouldn't have had a drink on an empty stomach and that the cold weather did not help.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, however, expressed his clear support for Mason.
βIβm pro Danika. Good on her,β Albanese said. βSheβs over in Italy β¦ and she would have been tired. Itβs the time difference. It would have been having an impact. Nothing to see here."