BBC apologises after porn audio played during FA Cup broadcast
A screen-grab from BBC’s broadcast of an FA Cup football match between Liverpool and Wolves on January 17, 2023.
Audio By Vocalize
The
BBC has issued an apology after a pornographic audio interrupted the live
broadcast of an FA Cup football match on Tuesday night.
In
the build up to a match between Wolves
and Liverpool, moaning sounds were heard above the presenter Gary Lineker’s
voice.
Lineker later said in a tweet that the sexual
noises came from a hidden mobile phone which had been “taped to the back of the
set” in the studio.
“Well, we found this taped to the back of the set. As sabotage goes it was quite amusing,” the presenter posted shortly after the match kicked off.
A
spokesperson for the BBC apologized to viewers, saying the network was investigating
the incident.
"We apologise to any viewers offended
during the live coverage of the football this evening," the BBC said.
A
video of the gaffe doing rounds on the internet shows Lineker looking momentarily
startled by the prank while trying to keep a straight face. He cuts to his
colleague Alan Shearer who is on location.
“Somebody’s sending something on someone’s phone, I think. I don’t know whether you heard it at home,” Lineker tells Shearer as the audio continues to play.
Lineker
later appeared on BBC Two's Newsnight on Tuesday, where he narrated how he
initially thought a video had been sent to one of the pundits' phones.
He said
it was however "too loud", making him unable to hear what anyone was
saying in his ear.
Calling
it a "good" prank, Liener questioned why the BBC had issued an
apology.
"We've
certainly got nothing to [be sorry] for," he said.

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