An Argentinian news reader was given a bard time by merciless viewers after announcing the world's most famous playwright had died.
But rather than William 'The Bard' Shakespeare it was in fact his 81-year-old modern day namesake William 'Bill' Shakespeare – the first man to receive the Pfizer coronavirus jab – who passed away in hospital earlier this week.
The more famous Shakespeare died at home in Stratford-upon-Avon aged 52 more than 400 years in 1616.
Reports from the time are hard to come by but half a century later Stratford vicar John Ward wrote he had succumbed to a mystery illness days after "drinking too hard" with poet Michael Drayton and playwright Ben Jonson.
But proving quite a lot is in a name Canal 26 presenter Noelia Novillo announced on Thursday that "one of the most important writers in the English language - for me the master" had died.
She said: "We've got news that has stunned all of us given the greatness of this man. We're talking about William Shakespeare and his death. We'll let you know how and why it happened."
As she relayed the sombre news videos of Bill getting his jab flashed up on the screen.
The internet was quick in its mockery.
One Tweeter passed on condolences Anne Hathaway, the actress who shares a name with the playwright's wife.
Another suggested the Montagues and the Capulets would be attending the wake.
While some pointed out "a man can die but once", a line from Shakespeare's play King Henry.
Former Rolls Royce worker and Labour Party member Bill received his jab in December, becoming only the second person and the first man to be injected.
He passed away of an unrelated illness, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said.
