RadioLive’s 12-3pm talkback show with Willie Jackson and John Tamihere was marred this afternoon, after the 4,000 kilogram elephant in the studio viciously devoured Jackson, before repeatedly goring Tamihere with its tusks.

Today’s edition of the programme initially showed a great deal of promise, with RadioLive announcing that the Willie & JT show would be commercial-free until November 15th; this as a result of a social media campaign by Marxist blogger Giovanni Tiso, who urged advertisers to pull their content from the show following offensive questions the hosts asked of an 18-year-old rape witness.

The programme began this afternoon in mostly regular fashion, with the elephant causing only slight awkwardness and a minor disturbance. But as Jackson and Tamihere tried to ignore it, pressing on with discussion about the quarter acre dream and the recent death of Samoan rugby player Peter Fatialofa, the elephant grew increasingly restless, stomping its feet and knocking over equipment.

“Hey, oi, just, leave that,” said Jackson, attempting to bat the elephant away with his arms. “Quit it. Just shut up, will you?”

Despite its continued interruption of the show, Tamihere insisted to producers that he did “not regret” bringing it to work on Tuesday.

“Look, it’s fine, guys,” he said, noticeably frustrated. “Just ignore it. Don’t worry about it.”

Throughout the afternoon, RadioLive staff tried repeatedly to remove the elephant from the studio, but were unsuccessful.

At one point, senior management intervened, and with a bucket of paint and sequins, attempted to make the elephant look like a good thing. Viewers of the studio webcam, however, felt this only made the elephant more hideous.

Attempts to ignore, remove or dress up the elephant took a dramatic turn for the worse shortly before 3pm, when it began violently thrusting itself on top of Jackson, and eventually consumed him whole.

In a panic, Tamihere attempted to exit the studio, but was cornered before reaching the door, whereupon the elephant began goring his stomach against the studio wall.

Tamihere has been taken to hospital with serious wounds, while Jackson has yet to be extracted from the elephant.

It is unclear whether the pair will be in a condition to resume hosting next week.