BBC News Anchor Apologizes for Inadvertent Gesture During Live TV Broadcast

BBC News Anchor Apologizes for Showing Middle Finger on Live TV

In an unexpected incident, a BBC News anchor has found herself in the spotlight after she was caught showing her middle finger at the camera during a live broadcast. The video of the incident quickly went viral on social media.

Maryam Moshiri, the Chief Presenter of BBC, was preparing to present the noontime news when the incident occurred. As the usual BBC countdown approached zero, the camera switched to Ms Moshiri, who had her head tilted, eyes wide open, and a broad smile on her face. It was during this moment that the gesture was captured on camera.

Realizing what had happened, the anchor quickly composed herself and began the broadcast with the phrase, “Live from London, this is BBC News.” She then proceeded to read the top article from the weekly show “Prime Minister’s Questions,” which discussed the former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s apology for the pain and loss caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the UK.

The video spread rapidly across social media platforms, with many questioning Ms Moshiri’s professionalism, while others empathized with workplace frustrations. In response to the incident, the anchor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to clarify the situation. She explained that she was joking around with her team and pretended to count down with her fingers.

Ms Moshiri stated, “Hey everyone, yesterday just before the top of the hour, I was joking around a bit with the team in the gallery. I was pretending to count down as the director was counting me down from 10-0, including the fingers to show the number. So from 10 fingers held up to one.”

She apologized for the incident and clarified that it was a private joke intended only for her team, unaware that it would be caught on camera. Ms Moshiri expressed her regret, saying, “It was not my intention for this to happen, and I’m sorry if I offended or upset anyone. It was a silly joke that was meant for a small number of my mates.”

The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges and potential pitfalls faced by news anchors during live broadcasts. As social media continues to play a significant role in disseminating news, incidents like these can quickly become viral, leading to public scrutiny and increased accountability for news professionals.