Viewers love BBC's Freudian slip showing pictures of Spitfires while talking about Theresa May's Brexit talks
The BBC has blamed “human error” for a suggestion on its Six O’Clock News that Theresa May would be flying back to Brussels for more Brexit talks in a World War II Spitfire.
It could have been a simple mistake, or simply one of the best Freudian slips in the history of news.
As the broadcast finished on Wednesday, it came up with a sensational way to illustrate the latest round of Brexit talks.
As Sophie Raworth spoke about Prime Minister Theresa May intending ‘to go back to Brussels to renegotiate her Brexit deal’, the screen showed World War Two Spitfire planes from the Battle of Britain in grainy black and white footage.
If Carlsberg did Freudian Slips…. 🤔🤔🤔 #BBCNewsSix #ChocsAway #BattleOfBritain @piersmorgan pic.twitter.com/Oop0ymRvad
— ＣｏｘｅｙＬｏｘｅｙ (@CoxeyLoxey) January 30, 2019
Unsurprisingly the mistake – or otherwise – did not go unnoticed.
Within minutes it was on social media sparking a debate whether the footage was intended or not.
Sophie Raworth even got involved in the debate, responding to a tweet from Piers Morgan saying it was a genuine error.
I wrote the words. I read the words. I didn’t push the buttons. There are limits to my multitasking skills. But i can confirm it was a very genuine (you couldn’t make it up) accident… ✈️
— sophieraworth (@sophieraworth) January 31, 2019
‘I wrote the words. I read the words. I didn’t push the buttons. There are limits to my multitasking skills. But i can confirm it was a very genuine (you couldn’t make it up) accident,’ she wrote.
Others though thought the symbolism was too good to be true.
Pro-Brexiteers claimed it was a way of showing ‘true British spirit’.
Others posted pictures from Dad’s Army, one Twitter user said it ‘had made my day’, while others just called it ‘brilliant’.
However some Remainers, thought the slip-up showed pro-Brexit bias on the part of the BBC.
For those wondering – simple human error at end of #BBCNewsSix. A production mistake meant pictures used earlier to tease story about Biggin Hill ended up in our top story recap at close of show. If and when it happens pretty certain PM not travelling to Brussels like this. pic.twitter.com/P2yXMnkkCK
— Paul Royall (@paulroyall) January 30, 2019
No Polish pilots were available… 🙃 https://t.co/GKTnTiLN8r
— Jakub Krupa (@JakubKrupa) January 31, 2019
One, Lisa Huts, said she was ‘not buying it’ and said it showed Britain was pushing a for a hard Brexit.
The editor of the programme, Paul Royall, blamed ‘simple human error’.
He said it was a production mistake meant to be used on an earlier story regarding Biggin Hill airfield.
And he added that he was ‘pretty sure’ Theresa May would not be flying to Brussels in a Spitfire.
That was enough to prompt one Twitter user to claim that was because there were no Polish pilots available – more than 140 airmen from Poland flew during the Battle of Britain.
