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BBC newsreader Simon McCoy struggles to contain himself during polar bear report

The BBC's Simon McCoy is renowned for his unconventional news reading and his latest golden TV moment is no different as he couldn't quite contain his laughter on a report all about a polar bear named Rasputin.

McCoy, 58, declared a member of the production team had put it toward the end of the news running order because they knew he'd struggle to get through it.

He relayed the news that Rasputin the polar bear was being transported from France to a Yorkshire wildlife park but found himself giggling before long.

Read more: Louis Tomlinson vows to never return to BBC Breakfast

"Bruce Walton who was Rasputin's keeper in France said he was 'a lovely bear..." McCoy trailed off as he found difficulty composing himself before continuing: "'I can see he'll be very happy here and have a ball.'"

Simon McCoy burst into laughter mid-way through his report. (BBC)
Simon McCoy burst into laughter mid-way through his report. (BBC)

Allowing himself some more laughs before moving on, he said: "Someone's just stuck that at the end of the running order because they know I can't do that.”

McCoy’s certainly got form for putting his own spin on reports.

Last year, when news of Pippa Middleton giving birth to her child broke from Kensington Palace not long after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed baby Archie, he evidently wasn't too excited by the news.

The Royal Family proved to be another source of hilarity for one of his broadcasts as he and colleague Sarah Campbell bickered over live pictures of the Duke and Duchess in 2018.

Portrait of BBC News presenter and broadcaster Simon McCoy, 09/04/2008. (Photo by Jeff Overs/BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images)
Portrait of BBC News presenter and broadcaster Simon McCoy, 09/04/2008. (Photo by Jeff Overs/BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images)

Politicians aren't immune from McCoy's sometimes scathing style either. Last year, when Boris Johnson declared he liked to paint wooden crates to look like buses and the clip was shown on BBC News, McCoy quipped: "Wonder what he writes on the side of it... [cough].”

McCoy decided to show viewers what he "has to put up with" in April last year when he turned the cameras round to show the pun-ridden autocue written for him by his scriptwriting team about a dog competition.

After placing his head in his hands in despair, he finished the segment by saying: “I trained for this."