Society Insider: 1News Jacob Johnson’s surprise Tokyo proposal to TVNZ+ producer partner

“It was an eight-day trip: four days in Tokyo, one night in Hakone and three nights in Kyoto,” he says.

Morris says she suspected a proposal might happen at some point during the trip, but Johnson still managed to catch her off guard.

“We’d spent the night before bar-hopping into the wee hours and badly singing A-ha’s Take On Me with a lovely bartender,” Morris says.

Jessica Morris and Jacob Johnson dine traditionally in Japan.

“The next morning we were slightly worse for wear, and I specifically said, ‘I’m not doing my makeup, please don’t propose.’ Luckily, he didn’t listen.”

Johnson explains that because it was so muggy, the pair were constantly buying electrolyte drinks from the vending machines found all over the city.

“I decided to Sellotape the ring to the back of one of these drinks in an effort to catch Jess off guard,” Johnson says.

“She is very hard to surprise and, generally speaking, I’m about as subtle as a sledgehammer.”

Johnson handed Morris the drink as the pair sat under a tree in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

“Being passed the bottle, which was greatly appreciated, and seeing the ring taped to it was very subtle,” Morris says.

“I think my first question, after I composed myself and said ‘yes’, was, ‘Where did you get the Sellotape?’”

Johnson had also booked them a surprise night at a beautiful hotel.

“We bought some snacks from a 7-Eleven and watched The Proposal because it seemed apt,” Morris says.

“We both spent the rest of the trip just absolutely buzzing.”

The pair say their wedding is a wee way off, and they are looking at a quiet ceremony with immediate family in late 2028 with a yet-to-be-determined venue.

Jacob Johnson and Jessica Morris at a celebration in New Zealand.

Johnson says he loves Morris’ humour and wit, and is looking forward to a life with her.

“Jess has a real sense of adventure and a passion for life that is infectious,” Johnson says.

“She is the most caring person I’ve ever met, and I feel like I can talk to her about absolutely anything in the world.”

Morris loves how spontaneous Johnson is, and that he’s always up for an adventure.

“Jacob’s the most positive, warm, enthusiastic person I know. He is sunshine personified,” Morris says.

“He’s truly the best travel partner and never gets stressed when things don’t go exactly to plan.”

Jacob Johnson and Jessica Morris out and about in Tokyo.

Both grew up in Auckland. Morris later moved with her family to Wairarapa, then studied for a BA in Media Studies at Victoria University of Wellington and a Masters in Journalism at Massey in Wellington. Johnson, who is the son of fertility specialist Professor Neil Johnson, went to broadcasting school in Christchurch.

Their paths crossed in 2020, when Johnson was the Wellington Breakfast reporter and Morris was producing on Breakfast.

“My first impression of Jacob was that he was a bit of a tosser because he’d always wear his Ray-Bans inside. But he’s just wonderful once he takes the glasses off, and we soon bonded over a love of Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle [a Japanese animated fantasy film],” Morris says.

Jacob Johnson working as the 1News Australian correspondent.

Johnson says Morris was funny, quick-witted and easy to talk to, so much so that she distracted him from his work more often than she should have.

“We started dating when Jacob moved up to join the Auckland newsroom as the 1News Tonight reporter, and we’ve been together since late 2022,” Morris says.

The pair lived in Freemans Bay, catching up on plenty of news on their walks to and from TVNZ’s Victoria St newsroom. They were regulars at the Silky Otter cinema for scary-movie nights, and Morris still misses “the late, great Gypsy Tea Room”.

More than a year into their Sydney life, Morris works remotely from the couple’s Redfern pad, while Johnson works out of the 9News office in North Sydney.

News couple Jacob Johnson and Jessica Morris are loving life in Sydney.

“The jobs [have] given us a chance to work together in a way we haven’t before,” Johnson says.

“Jacob’s a one-man band most of the time, doing his own camera work, so on big stories, like the Bondi terror attack, we’re able to team up, and I can field produce and occasionally jump on camera duties when needed,” Morris says.

Outside work, they’re often found at the Tuesday pub quiz at their local, BrewDog South Eveleigh, and at the Carriageworks markets every Saturday.

“On weekends, we’ve really enjoyed heading off on roadies exploring New South Wales. We reckon we could put together a regional NSW travel guide at this point,” Johnson says.

Jacob Johnson and Jessica Morris enjoying a concert in Sydney.

The pair say they’re both far too patriotic to stay in Australia for too long, and they’re looking forward to celebrating with family and friends when they come home for the Christmas break. They’ll spend the lead-up to Christmas with Johnson’s family in Auckland, then Christmas Day on the Wairarapa coast with Morris’ family.

“I love how close Jacob is with both his family and mine, especially the way he is with my two nieces. They adore their ‘Uncle Jabba’,” Morris says.

Party People of the week

Solstice at Commercial Bay

Commercial Bay kicked off its four-day Solstice runway celebration last Thursday evening, with the downtown precinct transformed into a fashion-filled spring playground for an exclusive crowd.

The evening began with champagne and cocktails, before guests took their seats for the open-air runway show in Commercial Bay’s ground-floor laneway.

Sophie Song modelling Zambesi at Commercial Bay. Photo / Michael Ng Georgia Payne modelling Superette. Photo / Michael Ng Sam Presland modelling Rodd & Gunn. Photo / Michael Ng Vinnie Paunovic modelling Barkers. Photo / Michael Ng

DJ P Money opened proceedings for the show, styled by top creative Sammy Salsa. It featured 50 models and more than 20 retail brands, among them Zambesi, Elle & Riley, Juliette Hogan, I Love Ugly, Tommy Hilfiger and Rodd & Gunn.

Guests included Precinct Properties head of retail Andrew Trounson; A-list chef Gareth Stewart and his wife, make-up artist Angela Stewart; Superette co-founder Rickie Dee and fashion entrepreneur Onny Kaulima; Live Nation general manager of media and sponsorship Kyal Whitburn; actor Vinnie Bennett; fashion stylists Georgette Pollock-Johnston and Sarah Stuart; and fashion influencers Rosalie Burns, Jess Molina and Maya Silwood.

A private after-party took place at Kemuri Hi-Fi and went late into the night.

Andrew Trounson and Brydie Leonard. Photo / Guy Coombes Fiona Hughes with Angela and Gareth Stewart. Photo / Guy Coombes Onny Kaulima and Rickie Dee. Photo / Guy Coombes Kyal Whitburn and Lilly Fraser. Photo / Guy Coombes Summer Busch, Georgette Pollock-Johnston and Sabrina Soar at Commercial Bay. Photo / Guy Coombes Sophie de Renzy and Sarah Stuart. Photo / Guy Coombes Ariane Ilgan, Jess Molina and Joanne Mutandagayi. Photo / Guy Coombes Maya Silwood and Georgia Payne. Photo / Guy Coombes Courtney van der Burgh and Rosalie Burns. Photo / Guy Coombes Courtney Joe, Emma Gleason and Natasha Ovely. Photo / Guy Coombes Sophie and Neville Findlay. Photo / Guy Coombes

Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008, where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012, he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.