Gary Lineker has said the BBC was wrong to apologise for pornography noises that played out during football coverage last night.
The TV presenter was hosting the BBC’s coverage of Wolves and Liverpool’s FA Cup clash when what sounded like loud moaning noises played out in the studio.
The football pundit seemed flustered as he looked for an explanation on air.
BBC
Lineker looked shocked as the noise played out and tried to speak over it as he cut to Alan Shearer who was in the commentary box.
Trying to explain what had happened he said: “Somebody’s sending something on someone’s phone, I think. I don’t know whether you heard it at home.”
He later shared a picture of a mobile phone with tape on it, explaining that they found it attached to the back of the studio.
The 62-year-old seemed in good spirits as he commented “as sabotage goes it was quite amusing”.
Viewers took to social media to share videos of the moment caught on camera.
YouTuber Daniel Jarvis took credit for the prank, sharing footage of what appeared to be him calling the phone and setting the sound off.
His YouTube account bmwjarvo has over 176,000 subscribers and consists mostly of sports related pranks.
In the past he has played fart noises at the UK snooker Championship Finals, invaded cricket pitches and jumped off a diving board during the Tokyo Olympics.
A BBC spokesperson later shared on Twitter: “We apologise to any viewers offended during the live coverage of the football this evening. We are investigating how this happened.”
Lineker shared a picture of the culprit, a mobile phone taped to the set.
Twitter: Gary Lineker
But Lineker saw the funny side of the prank and later said he didn’t know why the BBC apologised.
He said: “When it started, I did recognise that sound. I think we've all been done with that when you open up a WhatsApp or something.
“It was so loud I couldn't hear anything that either Danny Murphy or even when I spoke to Alan Shearer. I could hardly hear what they said when the thing was going on."
Speaking to BBC Newsnight he continued: “I have to say I think it's funny. The BBC have issued some sort of apology, I know not why. It's certainly got nothing to apologise for.
“It was quite hard to carry on the pre-match build-up and take it seriously when this was going on in the background.
“It added to the whole game actually. I don't think anyone cared for the game. We had a screamer of a goal which was kind of the tone of the whole show in some ways.
“As pranks go, it was a good one and credit to them. It was funny I thought."
