John Key resignation: The seven most cringeworthy moments

John Key struts his stuff (file)
John Key struts his stuff (file)

For eight years, John Key has represented us on the world stage.

And during that time, he has also given us some amazingly cringeworthy moments as our leader.

Here are the top seven.

John Key is perhaps most known internationally for pulling a waitress's Ponytail, an act which attracted global attention, including from comedian John Oliver.

"John Key can't pass any dangling hair without pawing at it. He's more cat than Prime Minister at this point," the British comic said on his show after the story broke.

John Key could also be relied upon to bust out some dad-moves, including Gangnam Style.

During an interview with The Edge's morning crew in 2012, Mr Key joined hosts Jay-Jay, Mike and Dom to perform the famous dance routine.

Explaining his lack of rhythm, Mr Key said, "We're not Korean, that's the problem."

The Prime Minister is also notorious for showing off his modelling technique. In 2011, John Key strutted his stuff on the catwalk when he was modelling the Rugby World Cup volunteer outfit.

Model and former New Zealand's Next Top Model judge Colin Mathura-Jeffree tweeted at the time: "I wouldn't know where to fix that mincing strut."

John Key will inevitably also be remembered for a few out-of-line comments, most notably the "gay red top" call in 2012.

Speaking with RadioSport's Farming Show, Mr Key criticised host Jamie Mackay's red sweatshirt.

"You're munted mate, you're never gonna make it, you've got that gay red top on there," he said.

Back in 2009, John Key had just four minutes to convince Americans a trip to New Zealand was worth their while, during an infamous appearance on late-night American talk-show Letterman.

During his brief appearance, Mr Key presented a list of top 10 reasons for visiting New Zealand, including that "we drive on the left side of the road, like the British and Lindsay Lohan" and you can "get the whanau together, stay in a bach, crack open the chilly bin and slap on your jandals."

The PM reached viral status in 2015 after his 'nail-fail' went global.

The video shows Mr Key trying to hammer a nail, and repeatedly missing.

"I've never been good at it," he said.

At the time, Mr Key admitted he's no handyman  saying "Bronagh [Mr Key's wife] gets a man in, don't worry about that."

But, perhaps John Key's most cringeworthy moment of them all was at the conclusion of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The now famous three-way handshake between Mr Key, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset is likely to go down in history as the PM's most embarrassing gaffe.

Newshub.