Spanish TV reporter has some explaining to do after scantily-clad woman appears on his screen

A Spanish news anchor had to defend himself after an embarrassing blunder saw a half-naked woman – who viewers spotted wasn’t his girlfriend – appeared on screen behind him during a live video call.

The clip of Alfonso Merlos broadcasting from home amid the coronavirus lockdown was seen on the Estado de Alarma channel on YouTube.

At one point, Merlos was speaking and apparently none the wiser as a partially-clad woman appeared behind him and casually strolled across the room.

Merlos had been thought to be in a relationship Marta Lopez, who was on the Spanish version of Big Brother, and viewers were quick to query whether it was her on the screen.

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It later turned out that it was not Lopez but a journalist named Alexia Rivas, leaving Merlos facing allegations of cheating.

However, the anchor has since broken his silence to set the record straight, explaining that he and Lopez were not together when the incident occurred.

He has been quoted as saying on a Spanish chat show that he was happy to apologise for any upset caused and had not intended to hurt anyone.

Rivas has also apparently insisted that Merlos was single when they got together.

She told Socialité that she had been seeing him for a few weeks.

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However, according to Spanish media, Lopez disagrees with Merlos’ take on the situation.

She has apparently said that the broadcast took place during a four-day period in which she and Merlos were apart following an argument.

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