Why Anchor Maryam Moshiri Showed Middle Finger On Live Broadcast?

A BBC news presenter was caught showing the middle finger during a live broadcast. The news anchor, Maryam Moshiri, was presenting news in her show 'The Daily Global Programme' when this incident happened. The anchor has however issued an apology calling it a "silly joke" for her teammates. 

At noon, when the recognisable countdown of the show came to an end, the camera showed Moshiri with a raised eyebrow and middle finger. But as soon as Moshiri realised she was live, she transitioned her posture. She quickly lowered her hand, changed her expression and started reading the news of Borris Jonson's appearance at the COVID inquiry. The screen too started flashing the headlines. 

The clip since then has gone viral and the social media users are divided in their reaction to the video. Some are saying that it was unprofessional while others have taken it as a joke. 

Moshiri Offers Apology 

The worldwide reaction has induced an apology from Moshiri. Taking to 'X'. she said, "When we got to 1 I turned [my] finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera,” she wrote. “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 with a face-palm emoji. 

Who is Maryam Moshiri?

Mariam Moshiri is a leading journalist for BBC. In July 2023, she was announced as the Chief presenter of BBC's leading programme. After BBC's Yalda Hakim departed from BBC, Moshiri was promoted.

Moshiri started her career in journalism as a business reporter for Independent Radio News. In 2003, she joined BBC and worked as a business news anchor for 16 years. She completed her Postgraduation in Broadcast Journalism from London College of Communications at University College London. 

Maryam Moshiri is married and has three children. She lives in London with her family. In her long stint as a journalist, she interviewed personalities like Jeff Bezos, Reed Hastings, Willie Welsh and other economists, CEOs, and investors around the world.