Channel 9 Today Show journalist Andrea Crothers gained widespread attention after a video went viral depicting her trying to swat a mosquito, resulting in an unintentional self-slap.
The Australian news reporter was on site reporting on recent flooding in Brisbane when the insect fell on her face and surprised her. In her attempt to ward off the mosquito, her aim was slightly off, and the quick movement ended with an unexpected and rather strong slap in the face, according to Metro.
The video quickly went viral, and she recalled the incident with her colleagues on the same day in the studio. She also wore a black mesh hijab the next day, poking fun at the situation herself.
TV presenter Andrea Crothers She slaps herself in the face during the live broadcast
Andrea Crothers is currently working as a television correspondent for Channel 9 Today show in Australia. The video clip, in which she appears slapping herself in the face, went viral in the first week of February.
Crothers was in the rural town of Dirranbandi in Australia's Queensland region to cover the recent floods in Brisbane. The incident occurred when a mosquito landed on her nose, sparking a moment of panic. After swatting it away, she turned away from the camera to make sure the insect didn't follow her, according to the New York Post.
The event received a lot of attention, but Andrea Crothers' colleagues were not as worried as she was. They found the situation very amusing, according to The Sun. Host Karl Stefanovic covered the incident while laughing with the other hosts in the studio.
“A little funny thing happened today. Andrea Crothers, she's one of our great reporters on the show, she's been covering the floodwaters in Brisbane, which is a great job. But it's very humid out there, and it's raining, and with all that comes terrible things.” [bugs] The sound of mosquitoes was also played. And here she is confronted on the air during a live report.”
Andrea Crothers also took part in making fun of herself the day after the video went viral. She wore a mesh headdress during the live broadcast, and joked that she had been approved by HR. She said:
“I'm fine guys, HR said I can wear this as long as I don't file for worker's compensation for punching myself in the face.”
Prior to her work at Channel 9, Andrea Crothers worked as a breakfast producer for ABC Western Queensland, based in Longreach, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She began her media career at Queensland Country Life (QCL), known as Bush's Bible.
She lives in Brisbane, Australia, however, her job sees her spending a lot of time on the road and roaming through the Queensland countryside. Andrea Crothers found her passion for the camera at QCL and was a finalist in the 2015 PANPAS Australian Newspaper Photography of the Year award, according to the ABC website.
The reporter spent a lot of time covering news in the field. Her profile explained how she was fond of adventure, which led her to work in Katherine, Northern Territory, and as an acting editor in Mount Isa during her time with Fairfax Media.
After leaving Fairfax, Andrea worked as a freelance journalist. During that period, she lived on her family's irrigated cotton, extensive dryland farming, and mixed livestock holdings near Dhiranbandi.
She is a keen journalist and writer who has worked on News Corp's national agricultural masthead, The Weekly Times, and has written for APN News & Media, Graziher Magazine, SBS and The Sunday Mail, according to The Sun.
