{"id":616628,"date":"2026-09-30T18:52:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/616628\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T18:52:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:52:10","slug":"society-insider-1news-jacob-johnsons-surprise-tokyo-proposal-to-tvnz-producer-partner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/616628\/","title":{"rendered":"Society Insider: 1News Jacob Johnson\u2019s surprise Tokyo proposal to TVNZ+ producer partner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt was an eight-day trip: four days in Tokyo, one night in Hakone and three nights in Kyoto,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWe\u2019d spent the night before bar-hopping into the wee hours and badly singing A-ha\u2019s Take On Me with a lovely bartender,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

\"JessicaJessica Morris and Jacob Johnson dine traditionally in Japan. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe next morning we were slightly worse for wear, and I specifically said, \u2018I\u2019m not doing my makeup, please don\u2019t propose.\u2019 Luckily, he didn\u2019t listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI decided to Sellotape the ring to the back of one of these drinks in an effort to catch Jess off guard,\u201d Johnson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is very hard to surprise and, generally speaking, I\u2019m about as subtle as a sledgehammer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson handed Morris the drink as the pair sat under a tree in Tokyo\u2019s Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing passed the bottle, which was greatly appreciated, and seeing the ring taped to it was very subtle,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think my first question, after I composed myself and said \u2018yes\u2019, was, \u2018Where did you get the Sellotape?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson had also booked them a surprise night at a beautiful hotel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe bought some snacks from a 7-Eleven and watched The Proposal because it seemed apt,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe both spent the rest of the trip just absolutely buzzing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"JacobJacob Johnson and Jessica Morris at a celebration in New Zealand. <\/p>\n

Johnson says he loves Morris\u2019 humour and wit, and is looking forward to a life with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cJess has a real sense of adventure and a passion for life that is infectious,\u201d Johnson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is the most caring person I\u2019ve ever met, and I feel like I can talk to her about absolutely anything in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Morris loves how spontaneous Johnson is, and that he\u2019s always up for an adventure.<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob\u2019s the most positive, warm, enthusiastic person I know. He is sunshine personified,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s truly the best travel partner and never gets stressed when things don\u2019t go exactly to plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JacobJacob Johnson and Jessica Morris out and about in Tokyo. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Their paths crossed in 2020, when Johnson was the Wellington Breakfast reporter and Morris was producing on Breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first impression of Jacob was that he was a bit of a tosser because he\u2019d always wear his Ray-Bans inside. But he\u2019s just wonderful once he takes the glasses off, and we soon bonded over a love of Studio Ghibli\u2019s Howl\u2019s Moving Castle [a Japanese animated fantasy film],\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

\"JacobJacob Johnson working as the 1News Australian correspondent. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started dating when Jacob moved up to join the Auckland newsroom as the 1News Tonight reporter, and we\u2019ve been together since late 2022,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

The pair lived in Freemans Bay, catching up on plenty of news on their walks to and from TVNZ\u2019s Victoria St newsroom. They were regulars at the Silky Otter cinema for scary-movie nights, and Morris still misses \u201cthe late, great Gypsy Tea Room\u201d.<\/p>\n

More than a year into their Sydney life, Morris works remotely from the couple\u2019s Redfern pad, while Johnson works out of the 9News office in North Sydney.<\/p>\n

\"NewsNews couple Jacob Johnson and Jessica Morris are loving life in Sydney. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe jobs [have] given us a chance to work together in a way we haven\u2019t before,\u201d Johnson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob\u2019s a one-man band most of the time, doing his own camera work, so on big stories, like the Bondi terror attack, we\u2019re able to team up, and I can field produce and occasionally jump on camera duties when needed,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

Outside work, they\u2019re often found at the Tuesday pub quiz at their local, BrewDog South Eveleigh, and at the Carriageworks markets every Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn weekends, we\u2019ve really enjoyed heading off on roadies exploring New South Wales. We reckon we could put together a regional NSW travel guide at this point,\u201d Johnson says.<\/p>\n

\"JacobJacob Johnson and Jessica Morris enjoying a concert in Sydney. <\/p>\n

The pair say they\u2019re both far too patriotic to stay in Australia for too long, and they\u2019re looking forward to celebrating with family and friends when they come home for the Christmas break. They\u2019ll spend the lead-up to Christmas with Johnson\u2019s family in Auckland, then Christmas Day on the Wairarapa coast with Morris\u2019 family.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love how close Jacob is with both his family and mine, especially the way he is with my two nieces. They adore their \u2018Uncle Jabba\u2019,\u201d Morris says.<\/p>\n

Party People of the week<\/p>\n

Solstice at Commercial Bay <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The evening began with champagne and cocktails, before guests took their seats for the open-air runway show in Commercial Bay\u2019s ground-floor laneway.<\/p>\n

\"SophieSophie Song modelling Zambesi at Commercial Bay. Photo \/ Michael Ng \"GeorgiaGeorgia Payne modelling Superette. Photo \/ Michael Ng \"SamSam Presland modelling Rodd & Gunn. Photo \/ Michael Ng \"VinnieVinnie Paunovic modelling Barkers. Photo \/ Michael Ng <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

A private after-party took place at Kemuri Hi-Fi and went late into the night.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew Trounson and Brydie Leonard. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"FionaFiona Hughes with Angela and Gareth Stewart. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"OnnyOnny Kaulima and Rickie Dee. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"KyalKyal Whitburn and Lilly Fraser. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"SummerSummer Busch, Georgette Pollock-Johnston and Sabrina Soar at Commercial Bay. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"SophieSophie de Renzy and Sarah Stuart. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"ArianeAriane Ilgan, Jess Molina and Joanne Mutandagayi. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"MayaMaya Silwood and Georgia Payne. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"CourtneyCourtney van der Burgh and Rosalie Burns. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"CourtneyCourtney Joe, Emma Gleason and Natasha Ovely. Photo \/ Guy Coombes \"SophieSophie and Neville Findlay. Photo \/ Guy Coombes <\/p>\n

Ricardo Simich<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIt was an eight-day trip: four days in Tokyo, one night in Hakone and three nights in Kyoto,\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":616629,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[58799,85,6447,6095,156,2936,54173,13832,8274,19195,48425,86226,111,139,69,5502,28203,17159,2935,88,74235,61,11081,6445],"class_list":["post-616628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-1news","tag-australia","tag-correspondent","tag-engaged","tag-entertainment","tag-insider","tag-jacob","tag-jessica","tag-johnson","tag-johnsons","tag-longterm","tag-morris","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-partner","tag-producer","tag-proposal","tag-society","tag-surprise","tag-sydneybased","tag-to","tag-tokyo","tag-tvnz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=616628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616628\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/616629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=616628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=616628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=616628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}