- Corporation’s 24-hour news channel planned an interview with John Craven after TV star Keith Chegwin died following battle with lung condition
- BBC News presenter Martine Croxall was unable to speak to his ex-colleague
- They cut to the weather, but experienced more technical problems with the mics
- Viewers then heard a male voice clearly saying: ‘too much smoking probably’
The BBC accidentally broadcast a guest’s views on the cause of death of Keith Chegwin after a technical hitch.
The Corporation’s 24-hour news channel planned a tribute interview after TV star Chegwin’s death was announced, following his battle with a progressive lung condition.
BBC News presenter Martine Croxall was unable to speak to the 60-year-old’s former colleague, John Craven, at the other end of the line, so they cut to the weather instead.
However, they experienced further technical problems – and instead of the weatherman’s voice, viewers heard a man saying: ‘too much smoking probably’.
Keith Chegwin (pictured in 2016) has died today aged 60 after battling a ‘long-term battle with a progressive lung condition’
The star died in a hospice at around midnight surrounded by his second wife Maria and two children Rose and Ted
Social media users were quick to spot the distasteful blunder.
Phillip Godfrey tweeted: ‘Did I just hear ‘too much smoking probably’ on @BBCNews from one of your producers when referring to Keith Chegwin? #badtaste’
And Gazza B wrote: ‘Extremely ashamed at @BBCNews @BBCOne 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’
A spokesman for the BBC insisted the male voice was a guest on the programme, who was due to talk about Chegwin’s death.
He told MailOnline: ‘During a live interview the studio had a sound issue with a guest which resulted in an off air audio being inadvertently broadcast and it was quickly rectified.’
TV great Chegwin died, aged 60, after battling a ‘long-term battle with a progressive lung condition’.
The star died in a hospice at around midnight surrounded by his second wife Maria and two children Rose and Ted.
‘Cheggers’ became a household name presenting Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s followed by Saturday Superstore in the 1980s
‘Cheggers’ became a household name presenting Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s followed by Saturday Superstore in the 1980s.
Most recently he appeared in Ricky Gervais’ sitcom Life’s Too Short and in Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, but had been seriously ill for around six months and required an oxygen tank to breathe.
His last tweet was in September and told his fans: ‘Still not right. I will be back – But not for a bit yet. I’m so sorry’.
In a statement, the entertainer’s family said: ‘We are heartbroken to share the news that Keith Chegwin sadly passed away following a long-term battle with a progressive lung condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which rapidly worsened towards the end of this year.