It was a mixture of celebration, memories and a few tears as AM aired its final show on Newshub's last day.
Newshub's owner, Warner Bros Discovery, confirmed the newsroom's closure in April, with Friday its last day broadcasting.
Despite it being the end of an era, AM hosts Melissa Chan-Green and Lloyd Burr donned bright colours for the final show, which focused on celebrating their colleagues at Newshub and looking back at the work they had done.
"We are celebrating all of the good things that happened over the last few years here," Chan-Green said.
AM show hosts Lloyd Burr and Melissa Chan-Green presenting their final broadcast of the show. Photo: screenshot
AM was launched in 2017 as The AM Show, and has had an array of familiar hosts over the years - including Ryan Bridge, Duncan Garner and Amanda Gillies.
Speaking directly to viewers at the end of the final show, Burr said he was "sorry" they couldn't save the show: "We really tried," he said.
Both Chan-Green and sports reader Nicky Styris choked up as they said their farewells to the viewers at home.
Chan-Green acknowledged it had been a "tough year" for their "gutsy little team", and she had met some of her closest friends during her time there.
Speaking of her former co-host Ryan Bridge, Chan-Green said he was a "huge talent".
"Few people actually appreciate the extent of how clever you are, except maybe you," she said to laughter from Newshub staff who watched the final show in the studio.
Her current co-host, Burr, was a "genuine positive force", she said, and their time together had been too short.
"The biggest support has been my husband Casper - I love you so much," she said, her voice shaking.
"I'm thinking today of people who have lost their jobs in other industries and those of you who are feeling lonely. Hang in there for what is important to you."
Styris also teared up as she said thank you to the entire AM team - she described it as not a job, but a family.
"Today feels really sad, but hopefully some day, we will be back in one form or another."
Despite the emotional farewells, the final show focused on celebrating AM and The AM Show over the years, and included interviews with Newshub journalists and US, Europe and Australia correspondents talking about memorable moments.
Along with the normal news bulletins, the show also included bloopers and comments from viewers.
The broadcast also had a live cross with journalist Mitch Redman, who was standing outside the Auckland studio. He said Friday was "the end of a 35-year era", but it was business as usual for most Newshub staff as they worked away on preparing the final news bulletin to run on Friday evening.
Former hosts Bridge and Gillies also joined in for a chat with Chan-Green and Burr, with Gillies stating she would always look back on her time at Newshub fondly.
"I worked with Mark [Richardson, former The AM Show co-host] and Duncan, so there were some moments - but you loved each other like family, so there's never been any regrets."
Gillies said it had been a "wild ride" and she was heartbroken Newshub was closing.
The show ended with a compilation of funny moments, before cutting back to the studio amid applause as the lights turned off on the team.
AM show hosts Lloyd Burr and Melissa Chan-Green presenting their final broadcast of the show. Photo: screenshot
What's next for the AM team?
Speaking on her next steps, Chan-Green said she still had some decisions to make and needed some time to sleep and be with her two "beautiful children". She noted she did have some exciting projects on the go, but did not elaborate further on what these might be.
Burr will be joining Stuff as its new explainer editor.
Former host Bridge has moved to Newstalk ZB to do its Early Edition programme, beginning on Monday, from 5am to 6am.
"It's very exciting and a new challenge, and I'm lucky to have a job and I'm very grateful for that. Radio is actually where I started, funnily enough, because I had terrible teeth. I've had some work done."
Gillies said she was also taking a break after Friday as she needed "a bit of a breather".
International correspondents Mitch McCann (US), Emma Cropper (Australia) and Lisette Reymer (Europe) all also have new jobs they will be heading to.
McCann, who was Newshub's first and last US correspondent, will stay in New york to work at Feature Story News (FSN), while Cropper has taken a job at 7News in Australia.
Reymer will be joining the new Stuff/ThreeNews 6pm bulletin team, but will spend some time enjoying summer in the northern hemisphere first.
The last ever Newshub bulletin will air on Three on Friday evening.
