The Awkward Moment A BBC Newsreader Fails To Be In Place At The Start Of A Broadcast

Uh oh. Update: It was the result of a technical glitch.

This is not how you start a news broadcast.

youtube.com / Via BBC News at Midday

Nicholas Owen was not in the right place for the midday news on BBC on Monday. The event was spotted by the Daily Mirror website.

"Oh, hi guys, I'm an empty chair. The headlines at 12..."

BBC News at Midday / Via youtube.com

The chair is probably thinking "omg guys, this is my moment".

But he reclaimed it beautifully.

BBC News at Midday / youtube.com

Smoothness: 10/10.

Jul. 31, 2014, at 13:19 PM

As some readers have correctly spotted, it looks as if Nicholas Owen was standing in the wrong place for the start of the bulletin and then walked back to his chair. Apologies for not spotting this.

Proof.

youtube.com / Via BBC Midday News

In a statement to BuzzFeed, BBC News said "Nick wasn't late. After reading the headlines he moved across the studio to the big screen to present the top story standing up. However, a technical glitch meant he couldn't be seen there and he had to return to the desk, which was why there was a brief pause and a reference to a change of plan."