IT’S SOMETIMES SAID that there is no pressure cooker more intense that that of live television – and anyone who doubts that can ask Sarah Murdoch.

Hosting the live final of Australia’s Next Top Model earlier today, Murdoch (wife of Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert, the owner of the show’s broadcaster Foxtel) announced hot favourite 19-year-old Kelsey Martinovich had won the show’s grand prize of a AU$25,000 (€17,800) contract to be the new face of Levi’s – only to then be given an embarrassing piece of information in her ear.

Close to tears, Murdoch listened to her earpiece intently as producers told her that 17-year-old Amanda Ware was the actual winner – and her face noticeably dropped as she realised the gravity of the error, having already allowed Martinovich to make a victory speech.

“I don’t know what to say right now. I’m feeling a bit sick about this… I’m so sorry, oh my God, I don’t know what to say. This is a complete accident, I’m so sorry. It was fed to me wrong. This is what happens when you have live TV folks… this is insane, insane, insane.”

Commendably, Martinovich downplayed the error, writing it off as a mere “honest mistake”.

In a statement released since, Foxtel said it would award Martinovich a $25,000 prize anyway to make up for the error.

“Tonight we saw the perils of live TV. At the time of the result announcement there was a miscommunication between the broadcast truck and the stage,” the network said.

“Sarah handled what was a difficult situation with utmost professionalism and grace. Amanda and Kelsey were neck and neck in the voting all night.”

One viewer on the show’s forums said the mistake was a “a horrible thing to do to someone on live TV”, while another said they “wouldn’t be surprised, at all, if this whole ‘mistake’ was just a publicity stunt.”