Alex Bernhardt: Australian news reporter forced off script after being stung by bull ant

Clip was filmed months ago but resurfaced after being posted on Instagram

Alex Bernhardt tries to hold it together during the broadcast (9News, via YouTube)

An Australian news reporter broke down on TV after she was bitten by a bull ant.

Alex Bernhardt, a 9News journalist from Brisbane, attempts to hold together her broadcast but cannot continue as the excruciating pain of the bull ant’s bite takes over.

"I've just been stung by a f****** bull ant," Ms Bernhardt tells the camera. "Ohhh… F***. Oh my god. Ow. I'm about to cry it's really, really sore."

The clip was filmed a few months ago, according to 9News, but never been aired and has now surfaced after being posted on an Instagram account.

Australian bull ants, which can grow up to 40mm long, can be extremely aggressive when defending their nests and their stings are notable for their potency.

It is not the first time Ms Bernhardt has been forced off script while on camera.

The reporter allegedly had a cigarette stubbed out in her face during a confrontation with an Australian woman – who was later arrested for the incident – outside court.