From Michael Fish’s infamous ‘there’s no hurricane’ warning before 1987 storm to slip-ups, giggles… and even ‘flipping the bird’ live on air: The BBC weather gaffes which have made for memorable moments
- The BBC’s weather app and website are still experiencing problems on Friday
- Michael Fish famously told the public there was ‘no hurricane’ before 1987 storm
As the BBC was forced to apologise this morning following issues with its weather app and website, it became clear just how much Britons rely on the weather forecast to go about their daily lives.
But it’s not always plain sailing for forecasters – especially where television is concerned.
From giggling fits to walking off air during a live broadcast, there are plenty of times where the BBC’s coverage has gone wrong over the years – sometimes with hilarious results.
But whether it’s Michael Fish telling the public there is ‘no hurricane’ approaching, or Tom Schafernaker accidentally flipping the newsreaders the bird as the camera cuts to him unexpectedly, the public always remembers.
Here, MailOnline has collated some of the most memorable moments from the BBC’s forecasters over the years.
‘There’s no hurricane on the way’
Mr Fish told BBC viewers: ‘Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t’
In 1987, BBC weather presenter Michael Fish famously told the nation not to worry as he reassured them there was no hurricane headed for the UK.
Just 48 hours later the Great Storm had killed 18 people, flattened 15 million trees and caused £1.5 billion worth of damage.
Winds peaked at more than 120mph in what turned out to be the worst storm for nearly 300 years.
At 1pm on Saturday, the day before the storm hit, Mr Fish told BBC viewers: ‘Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t.
‘But having said that, actually, the weather will become very windy, but most of the strong winds, incidentally, will be down over Spain and across into France.’
Flipping the bird live on air
The camera cut away unexpectedly to forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker during a news bulletin to find him making a very rude gesture
In 2010 the BBC was forced to apologise after an awkward moment saw a weather presenter make a rude gesture live on air.
The camera cut away unexpectedly to forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker during a news bulletin as presenter Simon McCoy joked his predictions would be ‘100 percent accurate’.
Mr McCoy said: ‘Now we’ll have the weather forecast in a minute and of course it will be 100 percent accurate and provide all the detail you could possibly want.
‘I’ve just seen Tom Schafernaker preparing for it…’
It was then producers cut to Mr Schafernaker, who quickly tried to turn his gesture into something else after realising he was being broadcast.
‘You’ve got a frozen ball’
In another McCoy-Schafernaker moment, the weather presenter descended into laughter after the newsreader made an unexpected comment.
Looking across to the forecaster and the background behind him, which showed a frosted-over circle, Mr McCoy said: ‘You’ve got a frozen ball there.’
Mr Schafernaker laughed as he said: ‘Just the one’.
He attempted to begin the forecast but had to pause for several seconds after becoming overcome with the giggles.
‘I think we’ve lost her’
In 2016, Mr McCoy was caught by surprise as he passed over to forecaster Louise Lear, only to find her in a fit of laughter
In a separate incident in 2016, Mr McCoy was caught by surprise as he passed over to forecaster Louise Lear, only to find her in a fit of laughter.
He told viewers: ‘Let’s have a look at the weather, Louise… are you alright?’
Ms Lear began laughing even harder and apologised, before lowering her head and continuing, causing Mr McCoy to also catch the giggles.
Mr McCoy said: ‘I think we’ve lost her’ as she tried to gather herself, wiping a tear from her eye and looking off to the distance.
He then introduced the presenter again who joked: ‘I’ll try and keep it together because it’s not a laughing matter with the weather.’
But Ms Lear continued to burst into fits of giggles and tears as the forecast continued. Viewers didn’t seem to mind thought – with many quipping on social media it was the best forecast they’d ever seen.
‘Don’t look behind you!’
As a pooch went to the toilet on the beach, it certainly made for a unique ending to Carol Kirkwood’s update
Another embarrassing gaffe for the BBC occurred when Breakfast weather presenter Carol Kirkwood was broadcasting live from a beach on a summer’s day.
As she was finishing her piece to camera, a chocolate-coloured dog wandered into the shot and began sniffing around.
Shortly afterwards, it crouched down and went to the toilet, in full view of the camera.
Cutting back to studio, a roaring laugh could be heard as Louise Minchin and Charlie Stayt told her: ‘Don’t look behind you!’
‘I can’t talk this morning’
One weather presenter clearly had no idea she was live on air when she walked off set in the middle of a BBC broadcast.
Kawser Quamer began her forecast as normal, but stumbled over a word. She immediately stopped and turned away from the camera, walking out of shot as she said: ‘See, I spoke to soon’.
Fiddling with her earpiece as she left, it seemed she thought she could reshoot the broadcast.
From off-screen, viewers heard her continue: ‘I can’t speak this morning, it’s not good is it?’
‘Your isobars make me horny’
The presenter looked rather less than impressed at the words she found on the screen behind her
One weather presenter was left less than impressed after a colleague appeared to have played a practical joke during her forecast.
Clicking to the next screen, the BBC forecaster was discussing ‘blizzard-like conditions over higher ground’ before she glanced behind her and stopped in surprise.
Instead of the usual list of places and their temperatures, the place names had been replaced by the phrase: ‘Your isobars make me horny.’
The presenter looked rather less than impressed and took a moment to gather herself.
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