Yesterday Scott proposed to ABC news journalist Carolyn Garner while thousands of listeners tuned in to hear her reply “yes”.

By the afternoon the couple were posing for photographs and answering other journalists’ questions about the romantic event.

Scott teamed up with Western Plains breakfast presenter Andrew Dunkley to surprise his future bride on-air.

“Carolyn has always worked in the media so I wanted the proposal to have a media feel. I’m a very private person. If I had have realised the response we’d get I might have backed out,” he said.

After finishing her 7.30am news bulletin, breakfast host Andrew asked Carolyn to take over for an interview he had organised.

“For days Andrew had been talking about an exclusive interview he’d lined up. When he threw it to me I was ready to kill him. I thought ‘how can I do this without preparation?’. Then I heard Scott’s voice on the line and I got butterflies in my stomach,” Carolyn said.

The popular news presenter laughed and cried on-air as Scott asked her if she would like to “become a Mrs Simmons”.

News of the broadcast spread around the world in less than an hour with Carolyn receiving a text message from a friend in Europe soon after the proposal.

ABC stations across the State picked up the broadcast by mid-morning with many people finding the news on ABC online.

“It is incredible how quickly the news spread. Our phones have not stopped ringing all day,” Carolyn said.

Even as Scott walked into the studio to officially propose on bended knee his mobile phone begun beeping with text messages.

The couple met at a Newcastle pub five-and-half years ago on Melbourne Cup day.

“I went to the pub with a male friend of mine. We bought a drink then he said follow me. He walked me straight up to Scott and introduced me as his sister. It all started with a little lie,” she said.

After a week together the pair knew they had found someone very special.

Six months later they moved to Dubbo.

“We planned to stay here for six months but we’ve been here ever since. We fell in love with Dubbo and started our life together here,” Carolyn said.

The ecstatic couple don’t have any plans for an immediate wedding.

They’ve just finished building a house and are looking forward to settling in as an engaged couple.

keely.bell@ruralpress.com