The presenter made the gesture as the broadcast began on Wednesday.
A BBC news presenter has issued an apology after being caught giving the middle finger to the camera live on air in a “private joke” in footage that has gone viral on social media.
Maryam Moshiri, one of the broadcaster’s chief presenters, made the gesture as she came on screen at the start of Wednesday’s (6th December) midday news bulletin.
She appeared to quickly realise she was live on air, snatching her hand away before reading the headlines.
WATCH: BBC News opens with anchor Maryam Moshiri giving the middle finger pic.twitter.com/UHJZik12I5
— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) December 6, 2023
Ms Moshiri issued an apology on Twitter, which was recently rebranded as X, on Thursday, saying she was taking part in a “private joke” with her crew and was “sorry if I offended or upset anyone”.
Ms Moshiri said: “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.”
She continued: “So from 10 fingers held up to one. When we got to one I turned finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera.
Hey everyone , yesterday just before the top of the hour I was joking around a bit with the team in the gallery.
— Maryam Moshiri (@BBCMaryam) December 7, 2023
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.
When…
“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.”
It isn’t the first time Ms Moshiri has made headlines due to her hand gestures.
What happens when you can’t show us pictures of the super moon?
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) August 31, 2023
You improvise. pic.twitter.com/fMcTh2jehs
Back in August, the presenter was forced to improvise when a technical fault left her without a picture of the blue supermoon.
“Sorry, I don’t have a picture to show you,” she said, before making a moon shape with her hands instead.
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