Viewers have been mocking a BBC reporter who said the new Jane Austen £10 note marks the return of a woman to English tender.
Business journalist Sean Farrington seemingly forgot the Queen during his stint on the Beeb’s breakfast programme this morning.
Mr Farrington said: ‘There has been a period of about four months where there were no women on any English bank notes.’
Business journalist Sean Farrington (right) seemingly forgot the Queen was on English bank notes during his stint on the Beeb’s breakfast programme this morning
In May the old paper £5 featuring Elizabeth Fry went out of circulation and were no longer accepted.
The 18th century prison reformer and philanthropist was replaced by Winston Churchill on the new plastic design.
But throughout this four month period, the Queen’s iconic portrait has remained on English tender.
This seemed to have slipped Mr Farrington’s mind this morning, to the annoyance of viewers who took to Twitter to vent.
One woman said: ‘What about the Queen?’
Thomas Mathie posted to Twitter: ‘Hey BBC Breakfast, Jane Austen is NOT the first woman on a UK bank note.’
While another added: ‘*Cough* the Queen.’
Anger: One viewer hit out at the programme after the reporter incorrectly stated Jane Austen was the first woman on a UK bank note in four months
‘Who writes this stuff?’: Dozens of Twitter users pointed out the flaw in the interview
‘Jane Austen wasn’t the first!’ Stephen Williams pointed out Elizabeth Fry was recently on £5 notes until they went out of circulation
The arrival of the new note marks a victory following a hard-fought battle by campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez
The arrival of the new note marks a victory following a hard-fought battle by campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez.
The feminist was sent around 50 abusive tweets an hour including rape and death threats after she successfully won a campaign to get the British author featured on a bank note.
Writing today to Twitter, she said: ‘The new tenner is out today. I want you all to please send me pictures of you with your first tenner (and then donate it to your local women’s shelter.’
The note is the second to be printed on a plastic polymer which the Bank says is cleaner, safer and more hard-wearing than the traditional cotton paper it will replace.
A plastic fiver featuring Winston Churchill entered circulation last September, replacing the paper version with Elizabeth Fry featured.
The new note is slightly bigger than its five pound version and has tactile information which is raised to help those with visual impairments.
The new note is slightly bigger than its five pound version and has tactile information which is raised to help those with visual impairments