Yahoo News BBC accidentally airs man saying 'too much smoking' about death of Keith Chegwin
Television viewers were outraged after the BBC accidentally broadcast a man making an insensitive comment about the death of Keith Chegwin.
The TV presenter died on Monday at the age of 60 after battling a progressive lung condition.
The BBC News Channel was set to talk to Chegwin's former colleague John Craven, but then cut to the weather instead.
A man's voice was then heard saying: "Too much smoking probably."
Some of the people watching went online to express their disgust at the blunder.
Did I just hear ‘too much smoking probably’ on @BBCNews from one of your producers when referring to Keith Chegwin? #badtastepic.twitter.com/sv2IThcDbU
— Philip Godfrey (@philip_godfrey) December 11, 2017
"Too much smoking probably.... what a gaffe. Typical BBC keithchegwin rip," posted one person on Twitter.
Omg how awful and completely disrespectful. His poor family will have to hear that, shame on you BBC
— Tracy Laithwaite (@laithwaite) December 11, 2017
Another tweeted: "Extremely ashamed at BBCNews. A tragic report that Keith Chegwin has sadly passed away from ongoing lung issues, only to hear a big gaffe as someone can be heard saying..."Too much smoking probably" #ShameOnYou."
Another person complained that it was in "bad taste".
A BBC spokesman said: "During a live interview the studio had a sound issue with a guest which resulted in off-air audio being inadvertently broadcast and it was quickly rectified."
