BBC exposes itself with glaring error live on air | | UK News

The BBC suffered an embarrassing error when producers returned to the studio after airing a phase about Shabana Mahmood during the weekend news bulletin. On Saturday afternoon (June 27), political correspondent Harry Farley returned to the airwaves to talk about the latest news hitting the headlines. But the 30-year-old broadcaster was left totally red-faced after the digicam panned down as he spoke, revealing an image of the BBC News studios enjoying behind him on a screen.

It did not take long for eagle-eyed viewers to flock to X – previously recognized as Twitter – to share and chuckle at the mortifying blunder online. One person penned: “When the ‘live’ BBC newsroom shot is shown to be someone sat in front of a TV screen!

“The digicam strikes, exhibits the sting of the screen, then the sunshine will get switched off.” Another quipped: “This is like discovering out Santa is not real”. A third chimed in with: “Obviously a recording of somebody recording BBC News on the TV.”

Meanwhile, others argued that the ‘screen’ behind him is actually a window with cables feeding through it. One user suggested: “It’s a window”, as another agreed: “Or he’s in entrance of a window wanting into a room behind”. It comes as the corporation implements sweeping, multi-million-pound cost-cutting and restructuring to save £500 million. This includes cutting 2,000 jobs across the company over the next three years.

Last week, the corporation announced 550 job cuts in news, nations and TV and radio content as part of its first stage in its cost-cutting plan. In an email to staff, interim CEO of BBC News, Jonathan Munro, outlined the proposals, including ending Radio 4’s The World Tonight, and reducing the number of permanent presenters on Today from five to four from September, with a single anchor on Saturdays.

BBC One’s Breakfast will no longer be shown on Sunday morning from September, and the production teams making Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will merge. Munro said the proposals announced on Wednesday (June 24) include 200 job losses in the news division, resulting in savings of £25million.

Some TV production at weekends will be shared across the News Channel and BBC One bulletins, with a review of the chief news presenter roles “to steadiness viewers wants with the best worth for money”. Several other Radio 4 programmes will also end next year: the Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show, and Crossing Continents.

On the World Service, The Inquiry, The Conversation and The Fifth Floor will end. It comes after former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis suggested the corporation struggles to retain top talent, claiming it’s “not good at holding on to good people” as she reflected on the broadcaster’s future and funding challenges.

In a new interview with Radio Times, the former Newsnight presenter addressed concerns about the BBC following the departures of several high-profile figures. When asked whether the corporation has a problem with female staff members, she insisted: “It’s not just about ladies; I do not assume the BBC is nice at holding on to good people.

“I understand that organisational impulse, that there’s no one more important than anyone else. But don’t be surprised if the people that can move do move.”