BBC apologises after porn audio played during FA Cup broadcast

Dennis Musau
By Dennis Musau January 18, 2023 10:15 (EAT)
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.

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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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