There’s genuine excitement in the UK that the nation’s women’s football team – the Lionesses – are a real chance to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup currently underway on our fine shores.
Attempting to catch the mood on the streets, the BBC sent reporter Joe Inwood and crew to a fan site in Croydon in London’s south following the team’s emphatic 6-1 win over China on Tuesday.
As Inwood interviewed punters on the Lionesses’ chances, his report was soon interrupted by a drunk and politically motivated fan who screamed “Fuck the Tories!” at the camera.
Inwood, to his credit, handled the tricky situation with aplomb.
“I do apologise about that. I’m sorry about that,” the reporter said, pushing the man away. “It can happen. It’s generally been a very nice atmosphere here but occasionally you do get people who might do something like that. So I apologise to any of our viewers who were offended by that language.”
Watch the vulgarity unfold below:
Meanwhile, in more unfortunate TV reporter news, another BBC reporter has been castigated by his bosses after a “cringeworthy” interview with Aussie women’s cricket star, Maitlan Brown, in which he described her as a “little Barbie”!
Reporter Chris Hughes was interviewing Brown who was playing for the Southern Braves in a 100-ball competition known as The Hundred tournament currently being played in London.
Brown revealed during the interview that she’d bonded with team mates at a recent screening of the Barbie movie.
To which Hughes responded: “You’re a little Barbie yourself innit, with your blue eyes.”
After some awkward laughter, he then said: “She’s blushing now.”
Social media was quick to attack Hughes – a former Love Island contestant – for the comments.
One wrote: “The absolute state of this.”
While a second said: “His comments throughout the broadcast were cringeworthy. This is just grim. Really unsure how he gets the gig tbh.”
A third blasted: “Yep saw this live and couldn’t pick my jaw off the floor for 10 minutes. Laughable stuff.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “We have spoken to Chris and explained that his comment was not appropriate.”
The incident occurs at the minute-mark:
The absolute state of this @BBCSport
“Batsman”
“You’re a bit of a Barbie yourself”
So much great young journalistic cricket talent in the UK, and you hire that clown @chrishughes_22, because demographics, innit pic.twitter.com/f7FwAtQjR9
— Always Look On The Bright Cider Life 🍎🏏🍎🏏🍎 (@somersetpodcast) August 1, 2023
