Sian Lloyd 'mortified' after causing offence with reference to 'traffic holocaust'

Newport, Wales 14th July    Former TV weather presenter Sian Lloyd during the Bulmers Celebrity Cup at Celtic Manor, Newport on Sunday 14th July 2019 (Pic: Jeff Thomas | MI News) (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Sian Lloyd said she was mortified to have caused offence (Getty Images)

Former ITV weather presenter Sian Lloyd has apologised for describing a traffic jam as a “holocaust”.

The 61-year-old Welsh TV presenter was complaining about the traffic congestion around Swansea and insisted she had not meant to use the word in reference to the historical Holocaust, which saw the murder of 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945.

Lloyd wrote in a tweet that has now been deleted: "Yet another traffic holocaust in Swansea today. Probs the worst ever. Over 1 HOUR to get to the Village Hotel from Mumbles. Took sis 1 hr 40 mins to Neath earlier. Everything is wrong about traffic management in Swansea."

Sian Lloyd referred to a 'traffic holocaust' (Credit: Twitter)
Sian Lloyd referred to a 'traffic holocaust' (Credit: Twitter)

In response to a furious backlash she took down the post and apologised.

Read more: Channel 4 apologises after Jon Snow Brexit protest comments

Lloyd said: “Hey guys, it’s the noun with a small h. I’m half Jewish myself. Would never want to cause offence. Huge apology if I did.”

She added: “I so did not mean it in the historical way, with the big H. Big sorry if it caused offence. Obvs the wrong word to use. So sorry.”

Lloyd admitted she had made a “big mistake” and added: “It was a stupid description. I am mortified and never intended to refer to the actual Holocaust. How naive am I.”

Read more: GMB suffers rude onscreen blunder with accidental obscured sign

The dictionary definition of “holocaust” is: "A very large amount of destruction, especially by fire or heat, or the killing of very large numbers of people."

Twitter users called the comment “vile”, “disgusting” and “incredibly stupid”.

Lloyd, who is originally from Maesteg, near Swansea, said she was on her way to her mother’s funeral when she made the blunder.

Lloyd has appeared on reality TV shows I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Celebrity First Dates and was once engaged to former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik.