The popular journalist - nicknamed "the Mother of the Nation" - and formerly a long-time anchor for One News, has appeared on the Paul Henry show on TV3 this morning.
She read this morning's latest news - a job usually carried out by 3News anchor Hilary Barry.
On the programme's official Facebook website, a photo of Bailey and host Henry was captioned: "Hilary is away on holiday this week so we have a very special newsreader filling in for her.
"Judy Bailey - lovely to have you with us!''
Many viewers took to social media following her appearance; praising her skills and the fact they had missed seeing her reading the news over the years.
Bailey told the Herald she was simply filling in for Barry and there was no permanent position she was gunning for.
"Hilary's away on leave and Paul had asked if I'd come in. I said yes - I wasn't doing anything at 4 in the morning," she laughed.
Bailey said she would be reading the news on the show for three days this week.
It felt good to do so again this morning and it was nice to hear that the public had reacted positively to her appearance, she said.
"It was nice. [The programme] is a very different show to what I'm used to. But Paul Henry is great - he's got such a quick mind and quick wit."
Asked what it felt like to turn out for the opposition, she laughed.
"It's been such a long time since i was at One News - 10 years. I've worked at others places and I...just go where ever."
Bailey's latest project is with Prime TV and a new documentary series called: Decades in Colour. A call-out is currently underway, asking Kiwi families to submit home videos which illustrate New Zealand over the past few decades.
The series is set to screen sometime next year.
NZH
