What a difference a year can make.
Just less than 12 months ago, the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo became the face of the fight against Covid-19 here in the US.
At the start of the pandemic, TV news coverage of the virus would be book-ended by two daily press conferences.
Andrew Cuomo would give his media briefing in the morning from Albany, New York. In the evening, the then US President Donald Trump would take to the White House podium.
Mr Trump's press conferences became rambling, hour-long rants and were suspended after he wondered aloud if the ingestion of disinfectants might be a cure for the virus.
Governor Cuomo's briefings were different, however. He had the grim task of updating the world on the soaring numbers of cases and deaths in New York, which was the epicentre of the outbreak in the US.
He was not shy about attacking the White House if he felt he was not getting enough support from the federal government. He could also be witty and compassionate, providing hope and guidance at what were the darkest of times.
He won widespread praise for his handling of the crisis and there were even calls for him to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate in the presidential race.
Now, even Democrats are calling for him to resign.
Three women have made accusations of sexual harassment against Andrew Cuomo.
Lindsey Boylan claimed that when she worked for the Governor, he had given her an unsolicited kiss on the lips, suggested they should play strip poker and would touch her on her lower back, arms and legs. She said it all took place amid a culture that "not only condoned but expected" sexual harassment and bullying.
Another former aide to the Governor, 25-year-old Charlotte Bennett, said she felt horribly uncomfortable and scared when the 63-year-old Andrew Cuomo told her he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in relationships.
A third accuser, Anna Ruch, claimed that the Governor had put his hand on her lower back and then touched her face while asking if he could kiss her.
On Wednesday morning, Andrew Cuomo tweeted that he would be making an announcement at lunch time, it led to lots of speculation that he might be about to resign.
When his press conference began, it resembled the briefings he used to give last year, as he provided an update on the latest Covid-19 response in New York.
He then addressed the allegations of sexual harassment.
An emotional Andrew Cuomo apologised for any "hurt" he had caused, saying that he now understood that he had acted in ways that had made people feel "uncomfortable".
"It was unintentional. And I truly, and deeply apologise," he said.
"I feel awful about it. And frankly, I am embarrassed by it."
Andrew Cuomo said he had learned an important lesson and that he would "fully co-operate" with an independent investigation into his conduct which is being carried out by the New York Attorney General.
He said he "never touched anyone inappropriately" and urged people to wait for the outcome of the investigation before forming an opinion on the allegations.
Asked about a photo of him with his hands on the face of one of his accusers Anna Ruch, he said that this was how he commonly greeted people and that if it upset them, he was sorry.
The New York Governor told reporters that he would not be resigning.
"I work for the people of the state of New York. They elected me, and I'm going to serve the people," he said.
When the sexual harassment allegations surfaced, Andrew Cuomo was already under fire over his office's handling of nursing home deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He had been criticised for a directive that blocked nursing homes from turning away recovering coronavirus patients once they had been discharged from hospital. There were complaints at time that this could have contributed to the spread of the virus.
An investigation found that this was not the case, but the Governor's staff have been accused of undercounting nursing home deaths, by as much as 50%, in order to protect Andrew Cuomo's reputation.
On Friday, the New York State legislature voted to remove the Governor's coronavirus emergency powers.
Andrew Cuomo won an Emmy Award for his Covid-19 daily briefings with organisers saying they had been a masterful use of TV to inform and calm people around the world.
His press conferences were described as being like television shows, with characters, plot lines, and stories of success and failure.
The main character in this series however has been hit been with real life plot twists, and a fall from grace, that would rival the storylines of any political drama.
