Just 19 Of The Funniest Things To Happen Live On British TV

"The sun is beating down, we've seen lots of doggers..."

Whoever thought that live television could go without a hitch was utterly wrong. However, it has left us with some pretty memorable moments, and I decided to share some of my favourites.

ABC Network / Via giphy.com

1. On ITV Evening News, when viewers didn't receive the usual polite greeting.

ITV

Okay, so I know that the ending of the now-viral clip is short for emphasis, but the lack of a pause between 'evening' and 'paedophiles' has created a British cultural meme that will stand the test of time. I like to think that everyone who tuned into the news that evening probably choked on their brew from the sheer surprise of it all.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

2. When Alison Hammond almost got arrested in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

ITV

When national treasure, Alison Hammond, was reporting about a competition in Italy, she was asked to stop filming as they didn't have a permit. After the kerfuffle, she retreated to a hotel room to hide from the police, comparing her Italian holiday to The Bourne Identity. Of course, it would only be Alison who could make almost getting arrested in Italy such an iconic event.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

3. And who could forget when Alison sent a sailor over the edge when giving a weather report?

ITV

Alison was in the middle of giving an entertaining weather report on a giant floating model of the UK; what could go wrong? As she leapt towards Ireland, one of the sailors ended up in the River Mersey in his attempt to steady her! As much as I love this clip, I cringe from the second-hand embarrassment when I watch it.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

4. Queen of Essex, Gemma Collins, certainly entered live TV history when falling through the stage.

BBC

The GC had just announced that Love Island was the winner at BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards for Best TV Show and then accidentally stumbled backwards through the stage door! Luckily, Gemma was completely fine after the fall, but I don't think any of us realised it was possible to fall perfectly into a stage door until this happened.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

5. Gillian McKeith fainting right before a Bushtucker Trial has been imprinted in my memory.

ITV

Gillian was a public favourite when it came to voting on which celebrity would participate in the trials. We can't say whether the faint was all a ruse to avoid the task, but it was certainly memorable. The hand to the face, the slight sway as she walks, and then the slow, elegant fall to the ground was the dramatic buildup we all craved.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

6. If this clip taught us anything, it was to always lock your door during a video call.

BBC

While most of us grew accustomed to video calls, this man certainly didn't expect his children to crash his live interview with the BBC! He went through all of the emotions. From trying to remain professional, then embarrassed, to trying to laugh it off – the baby coming around the corner in the walker did it for me.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

7. That moment when BBC Breakfast reported live while on an actual rollercoaster.

BBC

Blackpool Pleasure Beach was reopening after a lengthy lockdown closure, and what better way to celebrate than going on one of the rides? Whoever decided that this would make for great television, they were right. Rumour has it that you can still hear the echoes of "mONdAy" on the rollercoaster today.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

8. As a Cheryl stan, this mic failure during her live performance for Stand Up To Cancer hurt to watch.

Channel 4

Cheryl only sang about five seconds of her hit song "Call My Name" before her microphone somehow cut out, and we, the audience, were left with patchy audio and some impressive dance moves. I remember watching this with my parents and defending Cheryl until I was in tears. Now, it's just tears of laughter for how incredibly awkward this must have been.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

9. Whoever decided to let Gino D'ACampo cook live on This Morning: thank you.

ITV

Gino was cooking an Italian dish live on television when Holly Willoughby bravely told him it would be like a carbonara if it had ham. "If my Grandmother had wheels, she would have been a bike" is genuinely where live television peaked. No one could have predicted such a hilariously savage response from one of our favourite TV chefs.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

10. On Sunday Brunch, I fully sympathised with Richard Blackwood for not knowing how to zest a lemon.

Channel 4

When it came to actor Richard Blackwood's turn to help in the kitchen, he seemed unsure what the zest part of a lemon was. I wonder if this is one of those moments that keeps him awake at 2am?

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

11. Whenever I'm sad, I watch this video of David Cameron during a ~very~ serious interview.

Sky News

In an interestingly framed shot, the former Prime Minister was interviewed on Sky News about Boris Johnson. To this day, I genuinely believe that they set up the camera angle like that on purpose.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

12. Carol Kirkwood reporting on the wonderful views and — sorry, what was that?

BBC

What started as an innocent report on Greenwich park, turned into the ultimate blunder! Carol accidentally slipped up and said they've seen lots of 'doggers' at the park. If you weren't paying that much attention to the morning news initially, I could imagine that Carol's blunder most definitely made your head bolt straight up from your bowl of cereal.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

13. This Saturday Night Takeaway winner stole the show with her reaction.

ITV

After Dec announced that this family won a holiday, the reaction made him and the rest of us cry with laughter. Honestly, with a response like that, she deserves to win again and again.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

14. Viral sensation, Jill, looked terrified when a whole production crew ended up in her front room for Mother's Day.

ITV

As Jill's children were away from home for Mother's Day, This Morning organised a surprise and gifted a very shocked Jill a huge TV and a meal from Ainsley Harriott. Jill probably changed the locks and refused to watch daytime television again after this. "Why hello Jill" may still be a repeat feature in her nightmares.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

15. On Channel 4 News, this weather report ended up impressing an entire nation.

Channel 4

A very normal weather report became a viral hit when Liam Dutton nailed the pronunciation of this Welsh village. I like to think that every non-Welsh speaker had to pick their jaw up off the floor in complete awe. It's the slight smile before he starts; he knows his whole career thus far has led to this moment.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

16. That time on This Morning when viewers almost witnessed John Torode's kitchen going up in flames.

ITV

A tea towel resting on the hob during a cooking segment quickly caught flames in the background! The delay in John hearing about the small fire while Phil and Holly panicked undoubtedly turned up the heat.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

17. Guy Goma turned up at the BBC for a job interview, but ended up being on live television instead!

BBC

He turned up expecting to be interviewed for a new job, before suddenly realising he was live on TV. In a case of mistaken identity, the team at the BBC thought he was internet expert Guy Kewney, who they were due to interview live. After this, he can put 'works well under pressure' on his CV for sure!

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

18. If you've ever had a work mishap, you can probably sympathise with Victoria Derbyshire missing her cue during a BBC News bulletin.

Scott Bryan @scottygb

9. When @vicderbyshire couldn’t get her high heel shoes on at the start of a BBC News bulletin

02:59 PM - 17 Dec 2021

Twitter: @scottygb

A BBC News bulletin is usually a quick round-up of the headlines, but at the start of this particular one, viewers could see Victoria Derbyshire struggling to put her heels back on in time. The slightly muffled "oh God" and the squeaking of the shoes make me cringe every time.

19. When Matt Hancock got ~emotional~ during his appearance on Good Morning Britain.

ITV

Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, got tearful during an interview after an 81-year-old man was the first to be given a second COVID-19 vaccination. But viewers quickly noticed that not a single tear was shed, and he soon became a viral meme.

Here's the clip:

youtube.com

Do you have a favourite live TV blunder that lives in your head rent free? Let us know in the comments!