BBC News Thrown Into Chaos as Broadcast Pulled Off Air Amid Emergency Response
0The BBC faced unexpected disruption when its lunchtime news bulletin was abruptly pulled off the air due to a fire emergency. The chaos unfolded as BBC Look North, the regional news program for East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, was evacuated.
Peter Levy, the beloved host of BBC Look North, was set to deliver the local news when the alarm was triggered. However, when national host Anna Foster handed over to the regional segment, Levy was noticeably absent, leaving viewers puzzled.
One confused viewer took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to ask, “Missed you for your lunchtime news Peter! Was there a technical problem?” Levy quickly responded, explaining the situation: “Sorry…..we had a fire alarm. No fire. Normal service will be resumed at 6:30 as they say.”
The BBC has yet to issue an official comment on the incident, but the disruption marks the second time in recent memory that a fire alarm has caused chaos for the broadcaster, told The Sun.
This latest incident comes just months after the BBC’s Manchester base was evacuated following a “laptop explosion.” The studios, which host popular programs like BBC Breakfast with presenters Sally Nugent, Jon Kay, Charlie Stayt, and Naga Munchetty, saw at least five fire engines rush to the scene in Salford.
In a similar scenario last November, BBC Breakfast was pulled off the air mid-show due to a fire alarm, with Stayt and Munchetty presenting from the iconic red sofa when the incident occurred.
While the fire alarms turned out to be false alarms on both occasions, they caused significant disruption to the BBC’s programming, leaving viewers temporarily without their regular news updates. The broadcaster is expected to resume normal operations, with Levy reassuring viewers that he will be back on air for the evening bulletin at 6:30 p.m.