During a tough night of live television, Today Tonight presenter Helen Kapalos manages to lose her way for a moment. Courtesy Channel Seven.

YOU'VE got to feel for Helen Kapalos.

In what was a tough night of television for everyone - both for the networks and frustrated viewers - Kapalos experienced every news reader's worst nightmare.

The Today Tonight host was left high and dry by producers, stumbling over her words with no autocue, no script and nothing to throw to for more than 90 excruciating seconds.

Trying to find a balance between bringing viewers up-to-the-minute leadership spill coverage, the upcoming Origin match and Today Tonight's usual round of stories created a disastrous mix for the program.

And unfortunately Kapalos was front and centre in the chaos.

In an awkward 90 seconds of the program, Kapalos first told viewers that Kevin Rudd was "getting the numbers", only to bizarrely follow on with this:

"The same opinion ... And we'll have to move on to our next story now … but all very interesting down in Canberra. Of course we'll continue to bring you continuing coverage throughout the evening on our news but now we'll also be crossing to our viewer poll shortly."

The viewer poll then strangely disappeared from the screen.

"Now to a Muslim who was on his way to becoming a radical…" she said before awkwardly shuffling papers and apologising. "I'm sorry we'll have to go to something else there. But it is all happening in Canberra as we can see."

She again threw to the story about the Muslim only for it not to eventuate a second time.

"I apologise for this. OK. Now. We are heading to another story," before viewers endured 10 more awkward seconds of Kapalos again talking about Bill Shorten and Mr Rudd.

A YouTube video of Kapalos's unfortunate coverage has been doing the rounds.

The host acknowledged the incident on Twitter after the show:

"On @TodayTonight great viewer vote results.. thanks for taking part..unfortunately MASSIVE gremlins.. SO sorry..! :) X" before thanking a Twitter user who told her she "coped well".

993,000 viewers have watched what Mumbrella is now calling her "on-screen death".

We imagine that's exactly what it would have felt like.