BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri has apologised after being caught giving the middle finger just minutes into a live broadcaster.
Moshiri was hosting a news bulletin from the BBC studio yesterday afternoon, when the incident happened.
Footage of this incident has caused a stir online, with several people blasting Moshiri for her alleged lack of professionalism.
In the clip, the presenter raises her eyebrows, tilting her head, before going on to flip the middle finger at the camera, during the live broadcast.
Having realised she was live, Maryam Moshiri quickly resumes a professional disposition, before proceeding to read the news bulletin headlines aloud.
“a joke”
Following this, BBC presenter Moshiri has issued an apology over her conduct on social media.
“Hey everyone , yesterday just before the top of the hour I was joking around a bit with the team in the gallery”, she wrote. “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 we got to 1 I turned finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera”, the presenter added. “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,” she stated. “It was a silly joke that was meant for a small number of my mates”.
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. So from 10 fingers held up to one.
When…
— Maryam Moshiri (@BBCMaryam) December 7, 2023
“paints a thousand words”
Moshiri’s behaviour has received strong criticism online, with several licence payers blasting her on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“BBC News. At last they tell us how they feel about us”, Darren Grimes of GB News wrote.
Another X user added, “BBC – Presenter swearing at licence taxpayers. Saw a photo of this yesterday & assumed it was photoshopped. But no. It’s the BBC swearing at us”.
Another viewer commented, “This isn’t satire, an actual BBC News presenter got caught giving the middle finger live. Maryam Moshiri summing up the professionalism currently at the BBC”.
“A picture paints a thousand words @BBC”, added another.
Other opinions include, “BBC accidentally showing what they really think of licence fee payers,” alongside several laughing emojis.
The BBC did not comment on the matter at the time of writing.
