‘He heard everything you said!’ BBC weatherman Matt Taylor is mortified after slating Rick Astley without realising the pop legend is listening in
BBC Breakfast weatherman Matt Taylor was left red faced on Monday morning after admitting he wasn’t a Rick Astley fan while completely unaware that the ’80s pop legend was listening in.
The awkward moment came as Taylor gave viewers a rundown of the day’s forecast ahead of hosts Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin’s interview with the Never Gonna Give You Up singer, who was appearing on the show from home.
Asked by Stayt if he was an Astley fan, the oblivious meteorologist – whose forecasts are traditionally filmed in a different studio – bluntly replied: ‘Erm, not a massive one.’
Awkward: BBC Breakfast weatherman Matt Taylor was left red faced on Monday morning after admitting he wasn’t a Rick Astley fan while unaware that the ’80s pop legend was listening in
Knowing Astley could hear the response while waiting for his interview, a playful Stayt gave his BBC colleague an opportunity to dig himself out of a hole.
‘Well, that was the wrong thing to say,’ he said. ‘He’s listening and he’s coming up in just a moment. I’ll ask you again, are you a Rick Astley fan?’
Realising the gaffe, a clearly flustered Taylor seized the chance to redeem himself, hastily replying: ‘Love Rick Astley. The best. Grew up with him.’
Blunder: The awkward moment came as Taylor gave viewers a rundown of the day’s forecast ahead of hosts Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin’s interview with the singer
Straight talker: Asked by Stayt if he was an Astley fan, the oblivious meteorologist bluntly replied, ‘Erm, not a massive one’
‘Great, he’s coming up next so he’ll be grateful to hear that,’ Stayt replied. ‘He heard everything you said, Matt. The damage is done.’
Fortunately Astley was able to see the funny side, with Zoom footage capturing the singer in fits of laughter while watching the scene play out.
Referencing the moment on Twitter sometime later, Piers Morgan – a host for rival breakfast show Good Morning Britain – quipped: ‘Has anyone retrieved poor Mr Taylor from under the bus yet?’
Good sport: Fortunately Astley was able to see the funny side, with Zoom footage capturing the singer in fits of laughter while watching the scene play out
Banter: Piers Morgan – a host for rival breakfast show Good Morning Britain – later referenced the moment on Twitter
While Taylor might not be a fan, Astley has enjoyed a decades spanning career after emerging from the hugely successful Stock, Aitken and Waterman production line in the late ’80s.
Debut single Never Gonna Give You Up climbed to number one in the US top 40 and US Billboard charts, while debut album Whenever You Need Somebody sold 15.2 million copies worldwide.
Astley originally retired from the music industry in 1996, aged just 27, in order to focus on raising a family with wife Lene.
At the time of his retirement, his combined global record sales had topped 40 million.