The BBC’s buttoned-up and respectable image took a bashing this year after star presenter Huw Edwards was found to be paying for sexual imagery of a young person.
And now this image is taking a very different bashing in the form of a middle finger.
I’m sure most of us (aside from B&T journalists) have all had a moment where we want to stick our middle finger up in the workplace.
Maryam Moshiri, one of BBC News’s chief presenters, did just that on Wednesday – the only problem was that she was LIVE on air.
Viewers of the BBC News bulletin at noon were shocked when their afternoon update started a little unusually.
The familiar countdown plays and then goes to a shot of Moshiri with her eyebrows raised and her middle finger stuck up to the camera.
She quickly lowered her hand and put on a serious face before reading the headlines in a composed manor.
Moshiri has since apologised for the incident on X (also known as Twitter), saying that she was joining around with a colleague.
“When we got to 1 I turned [my] finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera,” she wrote.
“It was a private joke with the team and I’m so sorry it went out on air! It was not my intention for this to happen and I’m sorry if I offended or upset anyone. I wasn’t ‘flipping the bird’ at viewers or even a person really. It was a silly joke that was meant for a small number of my mates,” she said, adding a “face palm” emoji.
Thankfully the internet saw the funny side with Specsavers even seeing it as an opportunity to push their brand.
Commenting on the post they said “We’re with you, Maryam. If you are struggling to see the countdown, let us know”.
We’re with you, Maryam. If you are struggling to see the countdown, let us know.
— Specsavers (@Specsavers) December 7, 2023
Another sure said there was no need for an apology: “I mean it ain’t that serious..it’s hilarious. I don’t think there is a need for apology. Thanks for meme tho.”
