David Muir viewers say 'we're all obsessed' as he halts ABC show for heartwarming update

World News Tonight anchor David Muir gave fans a much-welcomed update on Punch the Monkey, who, along with his stuffed orangutan, has captured the hearts of the internet

David Muir gave a heartwarming update on the Tuesday, February 24 broadcast of ABC World News Tonight that left fans 'obsessed.'

The 52-year-old broadcast journalist reported on Panchi-Kun, also known as Punch, a baby monkey who has gone viral for carrying around a stuffed orangutan from IKEA after being abandoned by his mother and shunned by other monkeys. The fluffly segment was a welcome departure for viewers, who appreciated the update.

A clip of the segment was shared on the news program's official Instagram with the update, "Punch, the seven-month-old macaque monkey who captured the hearts of millions across the world, has made friends at his zoo."

In the clip, David begins the segment, saying, "And there's news tonight here on one viral star, Punch the Monkey, the seven-month-old monkey abandoned by his mother and shunned by other monkeys at a zoo outside Tokyo."

The anchor continued, "Zookeepers bought the lonely monkey a stuffed orangutan from IKEA; images of him cuddling and dragging it around with him going viral tonight." The segment included clips of the beloved monkey with his emotional support stuffed toy, which is slightly larger than Punch.

In the latest update on Punch from the Ichikawa City Zoo, David reported, "Well, this evening, new images showing relations with his fellow primates are now improving. He is making friends, and we love hearing that about Punch."the-mirror-icon_entertainment_tv_david-muir

Viewers went wild for the adorable primate, who captured the internet's hearts after videos of Punch self-soothing with the stuffed toy went viral. "We're all obsessed," one viewer commented on the Instagram post. Another wrote, "My heart literally explodes everytime I see him," as a third added, "He has no idea how loved he is."

Another wrote, "Awwww thank you for reporting on our guy."

Punch's saga has proven a suitable distraction from other, more hard-hitting news, with one person commenting, "The U.S. really needs Punch's story to keep us sane in these crazy and harrowing times."

Another echoed, "Punch is keeping us all going in these dark times . I love Punch and I am rooting for him," as one viewer simply wrote, "Punch for President."

Punch's caretaker, 24-year-old Kosuke Shikano, explained that "the stuffed animal [has become] a surrogate mother to him," adding that the toy offers the young primate comfort when he is 'scolded' by his fellow macaques. "Even when scolded by the other monkeys, he quickly recovers," he said, assuring Punch's adoring fans, "He is mentally strong."