Having dealt with breaking news, general elections, and reported from war zones, a BBC TV presenter was left unfazed when she was shown brushing her hair live on air after cameras cut to her early.
After the Business Live segment wrapped up, the BBC News channel cut to the main news room for the 9am bullet four minutes early, and showed political correspondent Carol Walker was brushing her hair in preparation.
After realising she was appearing live on air, Walker quickly locked her eyes onto the camera and flawlessly reads the news, in a situation which would have reduced most people to a stuttering wreck.
But as one of the BBC’s longest-serving broadcasters, having reported on Westminster since 1997 and covered the Gulf War and civil wars in Somalia and the Balkans, the incident failed to fluster Walker.
Walker responded on Twitter: “it was a bit of a surprise to have to start the show four minutes early!”
@standardnews Thank you -- it was a bit of a surprise to have to start the show four minutes early!
— Carole Walker (@carolewalkercw) August 5, 2015
Her colleague Louise Stewart was hardly surprised by Walker’s response and called her a “consummate professional”.
@standardnews would expect nothing less from @carolewalkercw - consummate professional
— Louise Stewart (@BBCLouise) August 4, 2015
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The incident was the second time this month that a BBC News broadcast didn’t go quite to plan after a BBC Sports presenter tapped on an imaginary device at the end of a bulletin.
Viewers were left confused when Chris Mitchell said goodbye to Sports Today viewers, turned to face away from the camera, and awkwardly looked as though he was tapping on an imaginary iPad in his empty hand.
