“It’s Cold, We’ve Got Altitude”: Australian Reporter Apologizes For Drunken Live Broadcast During Winter Olympics

Drinking on the job is a dangerous game (some might even call it a “prohibited” game). Currently, the world’s best winter sport athletes are over in Italy competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. There are gold medals on the line, and men and women who have trained for their entire lives for this moment are going toe-to-toe to see who can come out victorious in Winter Olympic competition.

Even reporters covering the games are pushing it to the limits.

Danika Mason, an Australian reporter for the country’s Channel Nine Today show, was broadcasting live from Italy just yesterday when she started to ramble and steer off course during the segment. She was supposed to be talking about the Olympics and Olympic locations when she accidentally got on the topic of coffee and iguanas… and slurred many of her words:

“Literally like the price of coffee over here is actually fine. It’s more the price of coffee in the U.S. that we’re gonna have to get used to. I’m not sure about the iguanas. Where are we going with that one?” 

@news.com.au During Wednesday’s live cross from Italy, Danika Mason struggled with the sports headlines, slurring and repeating lines, before Karl Stefanovic intervened on air to support her and wrap the segment. #TodayShow #WinterOlympics #MilanoCortina2026 ♬ original sound – News.com.au

Nothing screams Winter Olympic coverage like iguana talk. The studio back in Australia quickly realized that Mason wasn’t on her A-game (and was possibly inebriated), so the studio host intervened, cut away from her live coverage in Italy, and told viewers that cold weather can affect how well people speak.

But it wasn’t the cold weather that was the problem… it was the fact that the Australian reporter had a drink before going on air. Danika Mason admitted to be tipsy during her live spot, took full responsibility for her actions, and explained why she was in the shape she was in during her February 18 broadcast from Milan Cortina:

“I just want to take a moment just to apologize. Look, I totally misjudged a situation. I shouldn’t have had a drink, especially in these conditions. It’s cold, we’ve got altitude, and not having had dinner probably didn’t help. I want to take full responsibility. It’s not the standard I set myself. So in saying that, I’m genuinely really sorry and I’m thanking everyone for those messages I’ve received as well.”

@news.com.au Danika Mason has apologised live on TV after slurring her words in a trainwreck live cross from the Winter Olympics, admitting that she was affected by drinking, altitude, and the cold. Credit TODAY – Nine #WinterOlympics #MilanoCortina2026 ♬ original sound – News.com.au

Tough look… but at least she owned up to it and is trying to move past it. And in her defense, I’d probably drink too if I was sent from Australia to a climate that typically stays around freezing (especially in the higher elevations).The post “It’s Cold, We’ve Got Altitude”: Australian Reporter Apologizes For Drunken Live Broadcast During Winter Olympics first appeared on Whiskey Riff.