BBC viewers in hysterics as presenter caught mocking herself after live blunder
BBC South Today weather presenter Alexis Green was reporting live from Oxford about recent flooding when she found herself in an awkward situation.
BBC viewers were left chuckling after a presenter had a bit of a tangle with her words during a live broadcast. Alexis Green was on location in Oxford covering the recent floods when she momentarily lost track of what she wanted to say.
The blunder occurred just after South Today's in-studio newsreader Jo Kent handed over to Alexis, who was positioned beside the River Thames. Initially, everything appeared to be going according to plan as weather expert Alexis, donned in a black puffer jacket.
She remarked: "Residents here have learnt to live with flooding over the years and some say the 2007 floods were the worst they've ever experienced."
However, things took a turn when Alexis hit an awkward pause. Attempting to press on, she stated: "Now, with a warming climate, rainfall is expected to become heavier and more persistent in the future."
But then she stumbled, continuing with a stutter: "Which is why people here have taken matters into their own homes, hou-, own, own, hands."
Clearly flustered, she rephrased her message: "Basically, to protect their homes and their businesses."
Despite the verbal mix-up, it was Alexis's reaction that really amused those watching from home, reports the Mirror.
On camera, Alexis could be seen playfully grimacing and gesturing at her slip-up. Although the broadcast swiftly switched to a pre-recorded segment of Alexis walking by the river, the little gaffe amusingly made it into the BBC iPlayer version of the show.
Social media has been abuzz with reactions from fans following an on-air moment, with one enthusiast posting on X: "@AlexisGreenTV we love you as much as we love live TV."
Another viewer lightheartedly commented: "Alexis Green.exe has malfunctioned," while a third shared their amusement at the presenter's expression by saying: "Her expression," accompanied by a pair of laughing emojis.
This isn't the first time that a presenter at the BBC has encountered an embarrassing on-screen situation. Back in 2023, during a segment on BBC Breakfast, Ben Boulos misinterpreted retail analyst Teresa Wickham's symptoms of dystonia as her nodding in agreement.
The resulting clip gained traction on TikTok, and Teresa later expressed that the mishap had a silver lining in increasing awareness about her medical condition.
The NHS defines dystonia as "the name for uncontrolled and sometimes painful muscle movements (spasms)", noting that it's often a lifelong challenge, albeit treatable to alleviate symptoms. Symptoms can range from muscle cramps and spasms to tremors and involuntary blinking.
Ben Boulos brought attention back to this instance a year on, discussing the subject further with the specialist. During a December segment, he confided to co-host Sarah Campbell about how "mortified" he was after realising his error.
He reflected on the nature of live broadcasting, commenting: "The thing about this job that we do is that if you say something wrong, put your foot in it, it can very easily go viral.
"Remember, you were here with me when I introduced a guest on Zoom, noticed she was shaking her head, and assumed she was just disagreeing with me in disbelief.
But then, I commented on it, and she kindly clarified that she actually has a brain disorder called Dystonia, which causes involuntary muscle spasms making her head shake. I couldn't have been more embarrassed about it. It spread like wildfire."