Weather reporter hospitalised after painful on-air gaffe with crab

Things took a turn for an Australian weather presenter after she was attacked by a crab while broadcasting live. 

The reporter, Taylor Haynes, was at Sydney Fish Market in Glebe on Friday morning, speaking to a seafood seller about the produce on offer ahead of Easter weekend. 

Unfortunately for Taylor, she ended up in hospital after a large crab grabbed her finger and wouldn’t let it go.  

It all happened as the reporter was being shown ‘one of the most expensive seafood pieces’ available.  

She was audibly shocked at the sight of a big crab and its huge pincers but proceeded hold the orange crustacean.  

After playfully kissing the crab on its head, as per the request of co-host in the studio Michael Atkinson, Taylor screamed: ‘It’s got my finger!’ 

Taylor began to look panicked as the grab ‘suffocated her hand’ (Picture: @tayhaynes_ /The Today Show) She thanked people for checking in after the incident (Picture: @tayhaynes_ /The Today Show)

Her face became more panicked as the crab’s grip wouldn’t let up. Taylor exclaimed: ‘Guys we’ll go back to you. He’s got my finger!’  

Atkinson wrapped up the segment: ‘Let’s leave them to rectify that situation.’  

Later on in the programme, the studio presenter and co-host Alison Piotrowski revisited Taylor at the market to get an update on how she was doing.  

Looking calmer, Taylor reported: ‘Look, it wasn’t on my bingo card for 2026, at the start it was funny […] but the crab got my finger and it was not letting go was it?’ 

Mike from Sydney Fish Market was sat next to Taylor, who had her fingers in a cup of water, and explained the method they used to prise the crab off of her finger. 

Taylor announced she ‘would be going to hospital after this’ and that the pain was ‘real’. She continued: ‘I’ve got no movement, but yeah – it’s awful.’  

Taylor posted a picture someone had taken of her in what looked like the hospital waiting room (Picture: @tayhaynes_ /The Today Show) She tried to kiss the crab (Picture: The Today Show)

Later, Taylor posted an update onto her Instagram, showing her sat in what appeared to be a hospital waiting room with a blanket over her legs. 

Her post read: ‘Firstly, just want to say a huge thank you to @sydneyfishmarket + @thetodayshow crew on how they responded to the incident this morning, absolute pros.  

‘The way they jumped into action right away & somehow kept me calm whilst the crab was munching its life away on my finger 😂.’ 

She updated her followers with news that her finger wasn’t broken, but was ‘very bruised and swollen’. Taylor remarked she’d be ‘taking that as a win’.  

Finally, she noted: ‘Crab: 1 | Tay: 0 🦀🫠.’ 

The fish market commented on her post, joking that they hoped to see her back the following year but ‘maybe with a prawn instead’.  

Under the video of the incident on YouTube, some feared for the crab’s welfare too, suggesting that it might have been defending itself in the situation.

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