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.
Highlights from tonights #facup clash between @Wolves and @LFC ⚽️
Thanks to @GaryLineker + @alanshearer + whoever taped that phone to the back of the set (it was deffo Danny Murphy) 👍#BBCFootball #MOTD #bbcsport #MatchoftheDay https://t.co/nOJ0i2ijZI pic.twitter.com/f7ddMhbhTo
— Henry Liston (@henry_liston_) January 17, 2023
A spokesperson for the BBC apologized to viewers, saying the network was instigating 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.
Liener 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.