An Australian meteorologist suffered a panic attack on live television – but the situation was handled quickly and respectfully by the entire broadcast team.

Nate Byrne was appearing on ABC’s News Breakfast on August 13, 2024, when he realized something was wrong.

Instead of trying to cover up the incident, Byrne told viewers directly and clearly that he was having a panic attack.

“Maybe I can give it back to you,” he told presenter Lisa Millar.

“You certainly can, Nate,” Millar replied as the control room smoothly switched the cameras back to them.

Millar continued to handle the transition like a pro – and used it as a teaching moment by reminding viewers that Byrne had already written an article about living with panic attacks for the station’s website in 2022.

She elegantly improvised a short section on mental health and praised Byrne’s courage in sharing his experiences publicly.

All in all, this was a great example of how on-air and off-air teams can work together to not only tell great stories, but also support each other when things don’t go quite right.

In fact, ABC ended up telling an important story by showing that everyone, even “picture-perfect” television personalities, need to prioritize their mental health without shame — even if that wasn’t part of the synopsis.

Byrne returned later in the show and apologized for the incident.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255), or chat online or via WhatsApp. You can also text HOME to 741741.