Caught on air: BBC News anchor makes 'inappropriate' gesture at start of live broadcast

BBC host Maryam Moshiri, one of the network's "chief presenters," showed her middle finger to the camera on Wednesday as she prepared to deliver the noontime news.

When the customary BBC countdown reached zero, the camera shifted to Moshiri, who was smiling, her eyes wide open, as she made that gesture which went live on air.

Moshiri, according to the New York Post, swiftly realised what had happened, quickly composed herself and started her piece, "Live from London, this is BBC News," realising what had transpired in a matter of milliseconds. She then started reading the bulletins of the day.

Moshiri said on Thursday that she wasn't trying to hurt anyone and that she was just kidding about, with the group behind the camera.

"Hey everyone, yesterday just before the top of the hour I was joking around a bit with the team in the gallery. I was pretending to count down as the director was counting me down from 10-0.. including the fingers to show the number. So from 10 fingers held up to one," she said in a post to X.

"When we got to 1 I turned finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera. It was a private joke with the team and I'm so sorry it went out on air! It was not my intention for this to happen and I'm sorry if I offended or upset anyone. I wasn't ' flipping the bird' at viewers or even a person really. It was a silly joke that was meant for a small number of my mates," she added.

According to the New York Post, many people saw the inadvertent captured-on-camera event and took to social media to have their take on Moshiri's misfortune with jokes and puns.

"Looks like someone had to make it to work without their morning coffee," one social media user commented on X.

"I'll cut her some slack and assume she was flipping off the cameraman," another user commented. (ANI)