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'Jessica, we are live': Awkward on-air TV gaffe goes viral

An awkward exchange between a news anchor and sports presenter has gone viral after an unusual on-air gaffe.

Elmarie Kapunda was presenting for Namibia’s NBC1 News Live when she threw to her colleague, Jessica Kaimu, for the sports segment.

“For more on this, Jessica. Good afternoon Jessica,” she says.

Elmarie Kapunda and Jessica Kaimu on NBC1 News Live.
Jessica Kaimu (right) takes issue with the anchor, Elmarie Kapunda (left), before she's informed they are live on the air. Source: NBC 1 News Live

Kapunda then asks her about the upcoming fight, but her colleague seems annoyed with the introduction and interrupts her.

"No, you're not going to do that. You're just going to greet me, and say, 'take it away,'" she says.

"Jessica, we are live," Kapunda tells her.

The pair then stop and fall silent for a few seconds before a graphic appears on the screen.

Twitter divided over awkward exchange

On Twitter, the exchange had people divided over who was in the wrong.

“I understand Jessica's reaction,” one man tweeted.

“Remember they have to follow a script. The anchor gave away information that is a part of Jessica's sports bulletin script. The anchor gave away the dates and what will be happening, which leaves Jessica with less to say.”

Another woman added the anchor led into the segment like she was interviewing the sports presenter.

But a third person suggested “that’s what news anchors do to give the other person a jumping off point”.

“Jessica was ready to fight no matter what the issue was,” she tweeted.

As for whether there is any bad blood between the presenters, Lazarus Jacobs, the chairperson of the network's board, told CNN the pair were okay.

“The two ladies are good colleagues (and)... they had a live chat where they had a good laugh about it,” he said.

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