What Really Happened: BTS Video Reveals Why BBC News Anchor ‘Flipped Viewers’

A respected BBC News presenter caused an internet sensation last week when she was caught live on air and viewers believed to be flipping the bird.

Now a behind-the-scenes video has surfaced

The 13-second clip shows Moshiri counting down the seconds with her fingers before she reaches number two – at which point she points two fingers at the camera with her palm facing her – a gentle but rude gesture that in Great Britain, is commonly used.

At the last second she just pointed with her middle finger and… you know the rest. The laughter came when she realized she was now broadcasting across the country and beyond, and stood up softly to announce: “Live from London, this is BBC News.”

Moshiri previously apologized for her joke gone wrong, saying:

“I pretended to count down while the director told me to count down from 10 to 0, including using my fingers to indicate the number. So from ten fingers to one,” she wrote in a post on X ahead of the release of the BTS video supporting her account.

“When we reached one, I jokingly twisted my finger, not knowing it would be caught on camera,” she added. “I did not mean for this to happen and I am sorry if I offended or upset anyone.”

Three days after the incident, Moshiri was back on air and took to social media to thank those who sent her messages of support.

“I absolutely love my job and the team at @BBCNews,” she said.

After the longer video was released, Moshiri added: “Hey – I just want to say the BBC didn’t release it (I have no idea who did) – but in a way I’m glad people can at least acknowledge it that it was an evil.” Timely joke countdown with my colleagues! Which I’m sorry about. But it shows I wasn’t lying!”