5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
US news anchor delivers news, then baby
Despite contractions reportedly happening just minutes apart, anchor Julia Jaquith remained composed throughout the three-hour newscast. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM CBS6 ALBANY/YOUTUBE
Ms Olivia Jaquith had more than just headlines to mull over when she turned up for her morning newscast on May 21 .
The CBS6 Alba ny co-anchor showed up for work ready to report the news - only to become it after she found herself in the early stag es of labour minute s before going live.
Her water broke in the ne wsroom bathroom j ust before the broadcast, but the award-winning presenter decided to stick it out and do what she does best.
Her co-anchor Julia Dunn ' broke' the news with some light-hearted banter.
'We do have some breaking news this morning,' Ms Dunn said.
'Literally, Olivia's water has broke, and she is anchoring the news now in active labour,' she added, while describing the studio as a 'delivery countdown zone'.
Ms Jaquith added: 'I'm happy to be here, and I'll stay on the desk for as long as I possibly can. But if I disappear, that's what's going on.'
She kept things light between traffic updates and weather reports.
'I don't know what's going on, this is my first time, I'm new here,' she joked.
Viewers were treated to cheeky ticker headlines like 'Baby Watch' and 'Days Past Due Date: 2'.
Funny ticker headlines like 'Baby Watch' were flashed on-screen during the morning show on May 21.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM CBS6 ALBANY/YOUTUBE
At one point, Ms Jaquith turned to the weatherman to ask if conditions were favourable for a hospital dash. His response? 'Not so great,' he said, although he vowed he 'd fireman-carry her there himself , if needed.
Instead of taking a coffee break, Ms Jaquith winked and called it a 'water break'.
Despite contractions reportedly happening just minutes apart , the seasoned anchor remained composed throughout the three-hour newscast - laughing, chatting, and sticking to the rundown like it was just another day at the office.
Ms Jaquith, who won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Writing, later told the Times-Union that being surrounded by her newsroom colleagues made the experience easier - and much funnier.
On May 22, the day after the broadcast, she officially shared the real breaking news: her son, Quincy, had arrived.
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