Channel Seven's Sunrise has denied misleading viewers after eagle-eyed Katy Perry fans realised the superstar couldn't possibly have co-hosted Monday morning's program live.
Perry was spotted leaving the country via Sydney Airport on Sunday night about the same time her "live" performance on Channel Nine's The Voice went to air.
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Doubts cast over Katy Perry's 'co-hosting' Sunrise spot
Katy Perry left the country before her co-hosting spot aired on Monday morning but Sunrise's executive producer says they didn't mislead viewers.
This, understandably, left Sunrise viewers scratching their heads when they threw off the doona covers on Monday morning to see Perry gracing their television screens once again. The pop star was co-hosting the breakfast show alongside David Koch, throwing to Monday's news headlines and even draping herself in a python for the cameras.
Sunrise's Twitter account plugged the "live" program on Monday morning, with co-host Sam Armytage even throwing to Perry's segments.
![Katy Perry greeting fans at Myer's Sydney City store on Friday.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170705044830im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/2/6/n/a/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gx39e0.png/1499095413177.jpg)
Happy Monday! We're live on @channel7 - special guest co-host @KatyPerry is joining us SOON! Watch LIVE | https://t.co/9lRDdcYOjV #sun7 pic.twitter.com/T9tpoHfk0g
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) July 2, 2017
However, a Sunrise spokeswoman has since clarified that the program had never promised that Perry's segments would be live. The breakfast team pre-recorded Perry's segments on Saturday, and plugged the gaps live on Monday morning.
"Katy Perry has recorded her portions of the show," the spokeswoman said.
"We let fans know that last week, by inviting them to come down and see her during her appearance."
Don't forget that YOU can see superstar @katyperry when she appears at our Sydney studios from 10am TOMORROW! Come armed with your best Qs pic.twitter.com/kToqaAz5Wq
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) June 30, 2017
But that hasn't stopped numerous people from taking to social media to slam the mash-up between live and pre-recorded segments as "cringeworthy".
Despite Kochie claiming Perry had been part of the Sunrise family "for years", the megastar had no idea who Armytage was when she walked into the studio.
Katy Perry on sunrise is #cringe worthy
— Lainie York (@lainie_york) July 2, 2017
Well this is awkward!!! Katy Perry caught at airport during 'live' The Voice performance. #TheVoiceAU #Sunrise https://t.co/rSN1pTbwry
— Will (@wosaurus) July 2, 2017
Others, though, gushed over Perry's close encounter with a komodo dragon and the fact she dug into a meat pie while on camera.
Meanwhile, The Voice Australia's executive producer John Walsh said Perry's performance was pre-recorded due to staging demands.
"The production complexities of performances like Katy's means sets can't always be struck and reset during the time allowed by a commercial break," he said.