Top 75 Creepiest Things Caught on Live TV

Top 75 Creepiest Things Caught on Live TV

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the creepiest, most unsettling, and most terrible events to be captured during live broadcasts, TV and livestreams, across the globe.

#75: Manila Bus Hostage Crisis

In 2010, after being fired as a police officer over accusations of extortion, Rolando Mendoza sought revenge. Armed with weapons, he got aboard a Hong Kong tourist bus in Manila, Philippines, and took it hostage. While Mendoza requested his job back with benefits, news companies arrived in the area to film the crisis, which lasted for nearly 12 hours. Even the negotiations between officers and Mendoza were broadcast, which was criticized afterward, especially when they broke down when one negotiator, Mendoza’s brother, was arrested for not having approval. Mendoza began killing hostages as officers struggled to get inside. In the end, Mendoza and eight hostages were killed. How the crisis was handled led to hostilities between Hong Kong and the Philippines for several years.

#74: Cida's Celestial Calling

During season two of “Big Brother Brasil” in 2002, contestant Cida Moraes was enjoying the sun when she suddenly heard someone calling her name. Springing to her feet, she asked the other contestants if they’d called her, but they denied it to begin with. Yet soon after, Thaís Pugliese claimed she said Moraes’s name. However, Pugliese soon confided that she lied as she was worried about Moraes’s mental health. Moraes later discovered that on that day, her sister, Gloria, had passed away after battling cancer. She believed that Gloria was calling her name and felt her sister’s presence before she departed for the afterlife.

#73: Earthquake in the Studio

Usually, news broadcasters are detached from the events they're announcing. However, SET iNews was feeling the effects of their breaking news while live on air. In 2024, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Taiwanese city of Hualien. 19 people tragically lost their lives and more than 1,100 people were injured. As reporters were in the SET iNews studio to announce the earthquake warning, the quake caused the building to violently shake. The many lights on the ceiling ominously swayed above the workers as they tried to keep reporting. The news anchor, showing incredible professionalism, continued her segment without stopping, only holding onto the wall to steady herself.

#72: Priest Push

In 2019, popular Brazilian Catholic priest Marcelo Rossi was hosting mass at Canção Nova’s headquarters in Cachoeira Paulista, São Paulo. Approximately 50,000 people attended the event, which was also livestreamed online. However, as Rossi delivered a sermon, an unidentified woman snuck past security. She managed to get on stage and pushed Rossi off it, all while smiling. Thankfully, the priest was okay as he continued the sermon later. The woman, who reportedly had mental health issues, was arrested by the police, but she wasn’t charged. However, the incident stuck with Rossi as he began working out, earning him comparisons to the Hulk.

#71: Arrested On-Air

In 2020, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to report on the protests about the murder of George Floyd. Yet while on the air, as some officers began arresting one protestor, they turned their attention to the film crew and ominously surrounded them. Jimenez stated that they’d be happy to move to another location. Yet, despite the three-person crew and their security guard wearing press badges and clearly filming a broadcast, the cops arrested Jimenez on camera and then the others. Thankfully, everyone was released without any charges a couple of hours later. The state’s Governor, Tim Walz, apologized and called the cops’ actions “unacceptable.”

#70: Serene Branson On-Air Struggle

In 2011, Branson was reporting live from the Grammy Awards. Yet just as she began speaking, she stumbled on her words and struggled to talk coherently. This terrifying situation, especially for the reporter but also for those watching, immediately got people concerned that Branson was having a stroke on air. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. After Branson was immediately treated by paramedics, who found her vitals were fine, she later saw a doctor who deemed she'd suffered a complex migraine, which can cause speech difficulties. While it was the first time she’d experienced this issue, Branson recovered and was fine.

#69: The Stephen McDaniel Interview

In 2011, friends and family of Lauren Giddings were concerned after they hadn’t heard from her in several days. Soon, they reported her missing from her home in Macon, Georgia. With news broadcasters in the area to report on the story, WGXA interviewed an apparent friend of Giddings, McDaniel. During it, the reporter mentioned that a body was found, which was later confirmed to be the remains of Giddings. McDaniel froze before sitting down to process it. He then continued the interview. However, it soon emerged that McDaniel had taken Giddings’s life. As part of a plea deal to avoid capital punishment, he pleaded guilty to her murder. McDaniel was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014.

#68: Gary Plauché's Revenge

From 1983 to 1984, karate instructor Jeffrey Doucet had been harming young Jody Plauché, culminating in the adult briefly kidnapping him. Upon his arrest, Doucet was flown from California to Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in Louisiana. The news channel WBRZ was there to film his arrival. However, one employee also told Jody’s father, Gary Plauché. As Doucet was escorted through the building, Plauché, in disguise and talking on a payphone, walked over to Doucet and fatally shot him. Plauché, who later stated he had no regrets about what he did, took a plea deal that earned him a seven-year suspended sentence, five years' probation, and over 300 hours of community service.

#67: The Mysterious Missing Joanna Lopez

In 1989, those tuning in to watch the WMAQ broadcast were in for an unsettling time. After the segment with the national anthem ended, the color video suddenly switched to a black and white missing poster for Joanna Lopez. With a hard-to-see, grainy photo and no other information, Lopez was impossible to identify. Two years later, the same poster appeared on WMAQ, again, with no additional context. The phone number provided was seemingly connected to the police in Chicago, Illinois. However, they apparently never answered when called. According to missing persons records, there is no active case for Lopez, adding further intrigue in what this was about and sparking theories.

#66: Damar Hamlin's Collapse

In 2023, NFL fans watched “Monday Night Football” eagerly as the Buffalo Bills took on the Bengals in Cincinnati. As had happened many, many times between players, Tee Higgins ran into Hamlin’s chest during the tackle. However, this time, the aftermath was different. After Hamlin got to his feet, he then collapsed as his heart stopped. Within seconds, medical teams arrived and began performing CPR on the safety. Thankfully, their efforts were successful as Hamlin’s heart was restarted on the pitch before he was rushed to the hospital. He’d suffered a rare commotio cordis, where the heart beat was interrupted when Higgins made contact with Hamlin’s chest. Because the medics worked on him as quickly as they did, they saved Hamlin’s life.

#65: Footballer's Near-Fatal Fall

Delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, football fans were excited to see the 2020 Euros take place in 2021. Denmark faced Finland in their opening group game. Shortly before half-time, a throw-in for Denmark arrived at Christian Eriksen. However, instead of his typical talent controlling the ball, it bounced off his leg as he collapsed on the floor. Immediately, everyone knew something was seriously wrong. His captain, Simon Kjær, put Eriksen in the recovery position before the medics arrived. Teammates then set up a wall to block sight of them working on the midfielder who’d had a heart attack. Thankfully, his pulse was restarted, and Eriksen went to the hospital, where an internal defibrillator was installed. Amazingly, he returned to football in 2022.

#64: JetBlue Flight 292's Emergency Landing

In 2005, after departing Hollywood Burbank Airport in California, passengers were ready to relax until landing in New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. However, shortly after take-off, the landing gear wouldn’t retract. It was then decided that the plane would do an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport. However, to reduce the risk of fire, the aircraft had to fly for more than two hours to use up fuel. During this time, the incident was being covered by news channels. Passengers on board could also watch the broadcasts, which sounds terrifying. When the time came to land, the pilots did an incredible job as the landing gear sparked a minor fire. All 146 onboard survived the nerve-wracking experience.

#63: The Murder of Maritza Martin

In 1993, Emilio Nuñez was accompanied by a film crew from “Ocurrió Así” as he visited his teenage daughter’s grave in North Lauderdale, Florida. A few months ago, she’d taken her life after it was discovered she was pregnant. Nuñez believed her stepfather and mother, Maritza Martin, were responsible for her death. During filming, Martin arrived, causing the crew to try to interview her. To begin with, she was reluctant to talk. However, after some persuasion, Martin exited the car and spoke to the crew briefly, on camera. However, Nuñez suddenly appeared behind them and fatally shot Martin several times as the crew fled. In 2000, Nuñez was sentenced to life imprisonment.

#62: Owen Hart's Last Performance

A member of a legendary wrestling family, Hart was one of the greatest of all time. By 1999, at “Over the Edge,” using the Blue Blazer gimmick, he was set to face The Godfather for the Intercontinental Championship. After showing a pre-taped interview, we should have seen Owen in the ring. Instead, commentator Jim Ross informed those watching at home that there’d been an accident. As Owen was coming down from the rafters on a harness, the mechanism released early, causing the wrestler to fall 78 feet and onto the top rope. While medics did their best, Ross announced later that Owen sadly passed away. Controversially, the show continued, giving everyone watching an eerie feeling.

#61: Dale Earnhardt’s Fatal Crash

For nearly three decades, Earnhardt had been astonishing NASCAR fans with his driving skills, becoming a legend of the sport. In 2001, racing enthusiasts tuned in to watch him compete in his iconic number three car at the Daytona 500. However, during the final lap, Sterling Martin’s car knocked Earnhardt’s, causing him to collide with Ken Schrader’s vehicle as he slammed into the retaining wall. His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., came second in the race. Sadly, the force of the impact resulted in Earnhardt passing away instantly. Marlin was found not responsible during the investigation, as well as by Earnhardt Jr.

#60: Challenger Spacecraft Explosion

With the mission of deploying a communications satellite and examining Hailey’s Comet, Space Shuttle Challenger was set to take off in 1986. What grabbed the media’s attention the most was that the mission was the Teacher in Space program, sending schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe as a payload specialist. As such, many news channels were broadcasting the take-off for this exciting NASA mission live. Viewers were excited as the shuttle flew towards the stars. Yet after just over a minute, that quickly turned into horror. The O-ring seals on one of the boosters were breached, causing the Challenger to break apart and explode, resulting in the tragic loss of all seven crew members.

#59: Lee Harvey Oswald’s Assassination

In 1963, the landscape of American politics was forever changed when Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. Within hours, the former Marine was arrested at a nearby theater. A couple of days later, with knowledge that Oswald was being transferred from the police headquarters to a county jail, news channels, including NBC, were there to record the event. However, as Oswald was taken outside by an escort and towards a vehicle, nightclub owner Jack Ruby broke away from the crowd and shot Oswald. Hours later, Oswald passed away in the hospital. Ruby was sentenced to death. However, that was overturned after an appeal. Before the retrial could begin, he passed away in 1967.

#58: The 2018 Hawaii False Missile Alert

During the morning of January 13, 2018, many people in Hawaii were watching weekend TV and trying to relax. Yet instead of watching their content comfortably, a terrifying message appeared on screen that a missile was heading for the US state, and they needed to get to shelter immediately. Others also saw the statement come up on their cellphones. Because of tensions with North Korea, it was believed by Hawaiian residents that the country had launched a nuclear attack. However, the emergency broadcast had been sent in error during a drill. Officials soon released statements stating it was a false broadcast. But the fear and panic of many residents were very real.

#57: Daniel Jones's Final Protest

In 1998, Jones received the worst news possible. Not only was he diagnosed with cancer, but he was also HIV-positive. After struggling with his medical insurance provider, who he felt had mistreated him and caused delays to treatment, he was at the end of his tether. Jones got into his car with his dog and drove onto the highway in Los Angeles, California. He pointed a firearm at bystanders until the police arrived, along wih news helicopters, which broadcast the event live on TV. After showcasing a banner against HMOs, Jones set his car ablaze before taking his life on camera. The news channels that broadcast the harrowing event were heavily criticized for doing so.

#56: Murders of Alison Parker & Adam Ward

In 2015, WDBJ news reporter Parker and photojournalist Ward were in Moneta, Virginia, to interview on live TV the executive director of the local chamber of commerce, Vicki Gardner, about local anniversary events. However, during this piece, multiple shots suddenly rang out, causing Ward to drop the camera as the feed cut back to the studio. Former reporter Vester Lee Flanagan II, known professionally as Bryce Williams, had been fired by WDBJ in 2013. With resentment against the company as well as for Parker and Ward, Flanagan took their lives and injured Gardner. After being pursued by police, Flanagan took his own life.

#55: The Second Airplane

On September 11, 2001, the world watched in horror at the aftermath of American Airlines Flight 11 crashing into the North Tower of New York City’s World Trade Center. As news channels showcased the devastation and people were figuring out if the disaster was deliberate or not, they soon got their answer. Less than 20 minutes after the first plane had crashed, footage of United Airlines Flight 175 was shown across the globe as it flew into the South Tower. This was a coordinated attack by extremists who hijacked four airplanes to cause maximum destruction in the US. 2,996 were directly killed in the attacks, with thousands more suffering injuries.

#54: Tommy Cooper's Last Performance

For four decades, Cooper had delighted audiences across the UK with his comedy and illusions. In 1984, the Welsh comedian was taking part in the variety show, “Live from Her Majesty's,” which was broadcast live. During his set, Cooper was draped in a robe with the aid of his assistant. However, he then slumped against the curtain. The audience, believing this to be a joke, continued laughing. It then dawned on them and the production crew that something was seriously wrong as the program cut to a commercial break. While the show continued, Cooper received medical treatment and was then taken to a hospital. However, he sadly passed away from a heart attack.

#53: The Hillsborough Disaster

In 1989, football fans tuned into the TV to watch the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England. The game started normally. But then it soon became evident that something was very wrong, as fans began climbing the fence and spilling onto the pitch, causing the match to be abandoned. Severe overcrowding in the standing pens caused a mass crush. 97 people perished from the disaster, and over 760 were injured. The police and media quickly blamed Liverpool fans, which was found to be false. In 2016, after the first inquest’s results were disputed, the second one concluded the police, ambulance services, and stadium design were at fault for the catastrophe.

#52: Man Jumps into Niagara Falls

In 1985, Buffalo, New York, news broadcaster WGRZ sent reporter Phil Kavits and a camera operator to Niagara Falls to record a segment. Yet as they filmed, behind Kavits, a man is seen walking into the water and is soon swept away by the current. The man, later stated to be Robert Ahrens, was taken over the fall. Sadly, he didn’t survive. While the segment wasn’t live, WGRZ showed the footage during their live news broadcasts multiple times. Emergency phones connected to a crisis program were installed near Niagara Falls in the aftermath of this, as well as other similar incidents, to offer support to people struggling.

#51: Christine Chubbuck

When viewers tuned in to watch Chubbuck hosting WXLT’s “Suncoast Digest,” a show that highlighted community activities in Sarasota, Florida, they likely assumed she was perfectly content. But unfortunately, she'd been struggling with her mental health for years. In 1974, Chubbuck opened the show differently by reading a newscast before covering national news pieces and a local violent crime. After technical issues with showing footage, the host chastised the broadcaster for focusing on violence before declaring that WXLT would now show an exclusive as she took her own life on camera. The station quickly cut to a public service announcement as viewers called in to check if it was real, which, sadly, it was.

#50: Strange Individual at Congressional Hearing

#49: TV Presenters Spooked by Poltergeist

#48: Ghost Sighting During Cemetery Tour

#47: News Anchor Suffers Stroke on Air

#46: Japanese Tsunami Ghosts

#45: Twin Sisters Run into Oncoming Traffic

#44: ABC Australia Accidentally Broadcasts Disturbing Ritual

#43: Pope Francis Vanishes

#42: Live Magic Trick Gone Wrong

#41: TV Reporter Nearly Struck by Lightning

#40: Rubzy’s Paranormal Livestream

#39: 2002 Falun Gong Hijackings

#38: A Nearly Fatal Collision

#37: Wendy Williams Passes Out

#36: Ventriloquist Senate Candidate

#35: Mysteriously Moving Glass of Water

#34: Blue Light in New York City

#33: UFO Flashes Intense Bright Light

#32: Spanish Reporter With Reptilian Eyes

#31: Paranormal Newspapers

#30: TV Solidarity

#29: UFO Descends on London Football Match

#28: The Ghostly Groundsmen

#27: Flemish Secession Hoax

#26: Mystery Voice Interrupts Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral

#25: The Playboy Channel Religious Message

#24: The Great Tantra Challenge

#23: Captain Midnight

#22: Samuel J. Seymour’s Secret

#21: Dutch TV Presenters Eat Each Other

#20: Zombie Emergency Alert

#19: The Haunted Dolly

#18: WrestleMania Choke-Out

#17: The Vietnam War Draft Lottery

#16: San Francisco Earthquake Newsflash

#15: Czech TV's Panorama Prank

#14: The Disappearing Airport Lady

#13: Talk Show Possession

#12: Prayer Phone-In Possession

#11: Los Angeles EBS

#10: Alien Lights Over Milwaukee

#9: The Australian “Mayday” Incident

#8: Jamaican Ghost Attack

#7: The Running Shadow

#6: The UFO Summoner

#5: The Vrillon Hoax

#4: Justin From “Big Brother 2”

#3: A Criminal on “The Dating Game”

#2: Gary Stollman

#1: The Max Headroom Hijack

What’s the most unsettling thing you’ve seen live? Let us know below.

Island News

https://youtu.be/RM-OggVSeeQ - 2022 news segment looking back at the footage of the 6th January 2021 insurrection