A BBC News presenter has issued an apology after making an offensive gesture during a live broadcast. Maryam Moshiri, the chief presenter at the British network, admitted to “joking around a bit with the team” when she raised her middle finger on air.
The incident was captured in a video clip that circulated on social media, garnering over 700,000 views. The footage shows Moshiri counting down to the broadcast while sitting at the anchor desk. She quickly made the gesture before proceeding to deliver the first headline about former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In a post on X the following day, Moshiri explained that she was pretending to count down alongside the director, who was counting from 10. Holding up all ten fingers, she counted down on each one. However, when the countdown reached one, she playfully turned her middle finger around, unaware that it would be caught on camera.
Moshiri expressed her sincere apologies, stating that the gesture was intended as a private joke with her team. She emphasized that it was not her intention to offend or upset anyone. She clarified that the joke was meant for a small group of her colleagues and not directed towards viewers or any specific individual. To convey her embarrassment and regret, she included a “face palm” emoji in her post, which is commonly used to express exasperation or embarrassment.
The BBC News network did not provide any additional comments regarding the incident.
Moshiri, a mother of three, was appointed as one of the channel’s chief presenters in February, following the merger of BBC’s news channels.
Her apology post on X quickly gained significant attention, accumulating 2.1 million views within a few hours and receiving nearly 3,000 comments. Many individuals expressed understanding, acknowledging that it was merely a joke.
