The UK’s venerable news service, the BBC, was left red-faced yesterday when a TV news report on Brexit mistakenly showed old World War Two footage.
BBC host Sophie Raworth was announcing a piece on British PM Theresa May heading-off to Brussels to attempt a new Brexit deal with the EU.
But instead of crossing to footage of May, the BBC aired grainy footage from 1940 of a British Spitfire fighter plane taking-off to shoot down Nazi fighters during the Battle of Britain.
BBC management immediately apologised for the blunder, assuring viewers it was “human error” and not some rogue BBC employee attempting to spread anti-EU propaganda.
Check out the mishap below:
Absolutely brilliant ending to the BBC Six O'clock News tonight #ChocksAway pic.twitter.com/eM7sFuWXKZ
— Matt Chorley (@MattChorley) January 30, 2019
The clip has since been shared thousands of times online and, as you’d expect, caused the usual social media stir.
“What just happened during the closing headlines on the BBC’s 6 o’clock news? Voice over about Theresa May heading back to Europe over black and white archive of presumably RAF aircraft during WW2. WTF?” wrote one Twitter fan.
Another added: “Theresa May heading back to Brussels but this method indicated on the 6 o’clock news seems drastic.”
“Wonderful moment on the BBC 6 O’clock News as Theresa May heads to Brussels in a Spitfir,” laughed another.
While another was less impressed: “Yeah, that’s going to impress the EU. A war that ended over 70 years ago and devastated half of Europe. Way to go @BBC.”
