Mel & Lloyd's secret bond WE'RE FAMILY NOW!?

The AM show presenters have been tight for a decade

- Emma Clifton

There’s no need for the photographer to tell silly jokes or ask her subjects to fake laughter when it comes to our Woman’s Day photoshoot held in Auckland’s sprawling Eden Garden. They may have only been on AM together for two weeks, but as Melissa ChanGreen and Lloyd Burr fool around in front of the camera, it’s clear the co-hosts have an easy chemistry, which comes from a friendship that spans 10 years – no media training required!

“I have no nerves about this year because I fully feel confident that we hit it off,” Melissa, 40, says of working with Lloyd, 36, who was previously a political reporter for Newshub. “But it’s not just chemistry in that he’s a great person – you also have to really trust that person.”

Sitting beside each other on AM five days a week is no hardship with a friendship like this, adds Lloyd, who has taken over from Ryan Bridge on the Three morning show.

“You can’t fake it! Like, I don’t hate Mel and she doesn’t hate me, which is a really good start because sometimes you get some pairings where you’re like, ‘Mate, why have I got you?!’”

“You can see the on-air tension,” Mel agrees.

Explaining why that’s not a problem for this pair, Lloyd continues, “As long as you’ve got a good relationship and good banter, you like each other, and you trust each other’s work ethic and your mahi, you’ve got the formula there!”