BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri apologises for giving the middle finger live on air
07.12.2023 - 13:57
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri has said sorry for showing her middle finger on live TV. She said she didn't mean to "offend or upset anyone".
In a video from Wednesday's BBC news, the main presenter can be seen raising her middle finger just as the show starts.
In the video, Moshiri says "live from London, this is BBC News" before talking about Boris Johnson's latest evidence to the Covid inquiry. The clip has been shared all over social media, and on Thursday morning Moshiri said sorry. She said it was a "private joke with the team".
Posting on X, which used to be Twitter, she 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. 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."
"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."
The Government has announced a review of the BBC's funding model. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer told MPs: "The review will look at how we can ensure the funding model is fair to the public, sustainable for the long term and supports the BBC's vital role in growing our creative industries."
Ms Frazer also revealed that the corporation's licence fee will rise from £159 to £169.50 next year. Moshiri, who has been with the BBC for over 20 years and became chief presenter four