Hilarious moment flustered NRL legend Johnathan Thurston is hung out to dry on live TV in an epic April Fool’s prank
- Rugby league legend becomes the centre of an epic channel Nine ‘stitch up’
- Jonathon Thurston was left in charge of a live cross in a hilarious April Fools joke
- Host James Bracey pretended to be ill and walk off frame as cameras went live
Jonathon Thurston was on the receiving end of a hilarious April Fool’s ‘stitch up’ perfectly executed by Channel Nine’s rugby league commentary team.
The NRL legend looked like a deer in the headlights when Thursday night football host James Bracey feigned being violently ill just seconds before he and colour commentators Thurston and Allana Ferguson were about to go live.
The team pretended they were returning after a halftime commercial break during the match between Manly and Penrith.
But the last minute walk-off meant the unprepared former Bulldogs, Cowboys, and Queensland star would have to take charge of the broadcast.
On the footy ground, Thurston was a field general who was considered to be one of the game’s greatest-ever players.
But in front of the camera’s the future Immortal appeared flustered as he was left high and dry by his colleagues.
Ferguson stood motionless as the production team shouted ‘live’ not offering one ounce of help to Thurston.
‘Welcome back to Thursday night footy, we’ve just had a little bit of an accident here with James Bracey not feeling the greatest so I’m taking over,’ Thurston said sheepishly.
‘Allana, what a start to the half by the mighty Penrith Panthers. They kicked off with Viliame Kikau and the rest and we’ll throw over to Freddy (Brad Fittler) now.’
His desperate attempt to cross to sideline commentator Brad Fitler was immediately shut down by one of the off-camera showrunners who told him to keep talking.
Jonathon Thurston (right) was on the receiving end of a hilarious April Fool’s ‘stitch up’ perfectly executed by James Bracey (left) Allana Ferguson pictured (centre)
The NRL superstar looked like ‘a deer in the headlights’ when Thursday night football host James Bracey feigned being violently ill just seconds before he and colour commentators Thurston (right) and Allana Ferguson (left) were about to go live
He then tried to go to a highlights package before Bracey returned to the desk and said: ‘Hey JT, April Fool’s, baby.’
The clip was played on the broadcast at the end of the match and then shared widely on social media.
The man at the centre of the April Fools prank put a positive spin of the epic ordeal.
‘That was a good get, I loved it,’ Thurston said.
Pictured: Johnathan Thurston with his wife Samantha Lynch, three children Remie, Frankie and Charlie, and parents Graham and Debbie