A Sky News broadcast was thrown into disarray on Saturday morning when a reporter's frustrated expletive was accidentally aired live to the nation. The major on-air blunder occurred during the channel's breakfast show, presented by Anna Jones and Kamali Melbourne.
The Live On-Air Slip-Up
The incident happened during a segment covering serious allegations against comedian and children's author David Walliams. The presenters had cut to Sky's Arts and Entertainment Correspondent, Katie Spencer, for a report. As Ms Spencer began discussing Walliams' career, she fumbled her script. In clear frustration, she was heard to say: 'Oh f*** it I'm going to start again. Do not ever air me saying the f-word.' She then proceeded to restart the segment from the beginning.
The camera swiftly cut back to the studio, revealing bemused expressions on the faces of presenters Anna Jones and Kamali Melbourne. Mr Melbourne promptly apologised to viewers if they had heard any bad language. He then turned to the show's sports presenter, Jacquie Beltrao, and quipped: 'No bad language Jacs.' To which she replied: 'No bad language from me!'
Viewer Reaction and the Perils of Live TV
Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to spot the gaffe and shared clips of the moment across social media platforms. On X, formerly Twitter, one user named Jill commented: 'Sky News' Katie Spencer had a little whoopsie on live TV... The face on the bloke at the desk .... PRICELESS. The perils of live TV.'
Another user, Michael Moslin, pointed out the irony of the apology, stating: '"Apologies if you heard any bad language." You literally had to be deaf not to hear any bad language.' Some speculated the segment might have been pre-recorded, but others emphasised it was a 'schoolboy error from the reporter though. Never swear on camera, ever, live or not.'
The David Walliams Allegations Context
The blunder took place during a report on claims that David Walliams had harassed and behaved inappropriately towards female staff members. This segment followed the confirmation that publishing giant HarperCollins would no longer publish the 54-year-old's works after an internal investigation prompted by accusations emerging in 2023.
In a significant development, the BBC confirmed on Saturday that it has no plans for future projects with the former Little Britain star and Britain's Got Talent judge, dealing a blow to any hopes of a prime-time comeback. Walliams has denied all allegations against him.
Despite the storm, Walliams is understood to be currently on a break in the Maldives with his 12-year-old son, Alfred. The allegations published detail claims of harassment of young women at HarperCollins, with one junior colleague's complaint in 2023 sparking the investigation. It is reported one woman received a five-figure payout and has left the company, while staff were allegedly advised to work in pairs when meeting him.
A BBC spokesperson stated: 'While we're not making any changes to the festive schedules, we have no future projects directly involving David Walliams.' Sky News has been approached for comment regarding the on-air incident.
