Jackie ‘O’ Henderson ‘feels really stupid’ for forgetting to wear a mask

Jackie ‘O’ Henderson ‘feels really stupid’ for forgetting to wear a mask in coronavirus-stricken Melbourne – as she’s pictured without a face covering on set of The Masked Singer

Radio presenter Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has apologised for not wearing a mask in Melbourne, where face coverings are now mandatory in public to limit the spread of coronavirus.

She had been pictured without a mask while arriving on set of The Masked Singer in Docklands on Saturday afternoon, and the photos were splashed across a Sydney tabloid on Tuesday morning.

Victoria has been struggling with a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, and the mask ban – which had originally been limited to metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire – was extended to all regional areas on Monday.

Meanwhile, the state is preparing to enter a draconian stage-four lockdown. 

Addressing the front-page story on her KIIS FM breakfast show, the 45-year-old admitted she had made a mistake and felt ‘really stupid’ for forgetting her mask. 

Copping it: Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has apologised for not wearing a mask in Melbourne, where face coverings are now mandatory in public to limit the spread of coronavirus

Her co-host Kyle Sandilands started the broadcast at 6am by rattling off the negative headlines about Jackie, who was clearly mortified.

She said she found it particularly embarrassing because she has often spoken of the importance of wearing masks and social distancing during the pandemic.

‘It’s my fault, I feel really stupid,’ Jackie confessed.

The mother of one explained that she had been rushing from her hotel to the set, and only realised on the drive over that she’d forgotten her mask.

Busted: She had been pictured without a mask while arriving on set of The Masked Singer in Docklands on Saturday afternoon, and the photos were splashed across a Sydney tabloid on Tuesday morning

Busted: She had been pictured without a mask while arriving on set of The Masked Singer in Docklands on Saturday afternoon, and the photos were splashed across a Sydney tabloid on Tuesday morning

She said: ‘I was coming from my hotel room… and we’re always running late with hair and makeup, and then we quickly packed everything up and we got in the car.

‘It’s only a two-minute drive, and on my way I thought, “Oh my gosh, I’ve forgotten my mask.” No excuse [but] I got out of my car and they gave me a mask.’

Jackie explained that the photo of her without a mask had been taken in the split second when she was dashing from her car to the set.

She concluded: ‘It’s stupid. I was in a rush. I forgot it, and I’m sorry.’

Mortified: Addressing the front-page story on her KIIS FM breakfast show, the 45-year-old admitted she had made a mistake and felt 'really stupid' for forgetting her mask

 Mortified: Addressing the front-page story on her KIIS FM breakfast show, the 45-year-old admitted she had made a mistake and felt ‘really stupid’ for forgetting her mask

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made face masks mandatory in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire on Wednesday, July 22.

The mask rule was enforced across the state of Victoria on Monday.

People who do not wear masks in public face fines of $200 unless they have a valid exception.