BBC is slammed for using footage of LeBron James in their 10 o’clock news report on the death of ex-NBA star Kobe Bryant
- Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna have died in a helicopter crash
- BBC News at Ten ran a segment on the passing of the former NBA superstar
- But they mistakenly ran a video showing LA Lakers star LeBron James playing
The BBC have been blasted by viewers for using footage of LeBron James in their news report on the death of ex-NBA star Kobe Bryant.
The 41-year-old basketball legend and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.
BBC News at Ten ran a segment on the passing of the former NBA superstar but mistakenly showed a video of LA Lakers player LeBron James on the court, rather than Bryant – prompting the ire of viewers.
One Twitter user said: ‘See that BBC News played pictures of LeBron James during the Kobe Byrant report, instead of, you know, Kobe Bryant’.
Today it was reported the 41-year-old basketball legend, pictured, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning
BBC News at Ten ran a segment on the passing of the former NBA superstar but mistakenly showed a video of LA Lakers player LeBron James (pictured) on the court, rather than Bryant – prompting the ire of viewers
Another said: ‘BBC using footage of LeBron James whilst covering the passing Kobe Bryant wtf’.
And Pablo Taylor said: ‘BBC News at 10 showing clips of LeBron James instead of Kobe Bryant’.
The 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star’s private Sikorsky S-76 struck a hillside amid heavy fog and immediately caught fire at around 10am on Sunday.
Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St in Calabasas after a group of mountain bikers spotted the smoke.
Initial reports claimed five had been killed, but the death toll was raised to nine – including the pilot – at a press conference Sunday night.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Witnesses reported hearing the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down near the home of Kourtney Kardashian.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘In tonight’s coverage of the death of Kobe Bryant on BBC News at Ten we mistakenly used pictures of LeBron James in one section of the report.
‘We apologise for this human error which fell below our usual standards on the programme.’