BBC’s Hazel Irvine interrupted as Winter Olympics reporter apologises | Other | Sport
A BBC reporter issued an apology live on air after interrupting presenter Hazel Irvine during the broadcaster’s coverage of the Winter Olympics. The Games, which are taking place in northern Italy, has entered its second week, with plenty of medals still up for grabs.
One of the sports the BBC focused on during their Monday morning coverage was men’s alpine skiing, with plenty of British interest in the field. Reporting live from the Stelvio Ski Centre was four-time Olympian Chemmy Alcott, who was embroiled in an exchange with studio anchor Irvine when the interruption happened.
Irvine was in the middle of asking Alcott a question when she had to jump in as two British atheletes were walking past the camera, with the roving reporter grabbing them for a chat. Alcott said: “Oh here’s Dave [Ryding]… Hazel, sorry I know I shouldn’t interrupt you, because you’re a legend, but I’ve got two legends here.”
Standing beside Alcott were Dave Ryding and Billy Major, who had both just competed in brutal snowy conditions on the slope. In response to Alcott’s question, Ryding said: “Let’s see if I can find one last run… to be honest, I just struggled because I couldn’t see what was under my feet. I just couldn’t trust it. Too many little scrubs here and there, just compound to a bad run. Unfortunately bad.”
Meanwhile, Major added: “As Dave says, you can’t see much at all. I was going well in training, so I was able to trust what I’d been feeling this week. There’s not really any opportunity to get a good feeling going, it’s very start stop [on the course].”
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Alcott wrapped up her interview by saying: “So excited for Billy there, showed us how much talent he has. But sorry Hazel back to you. You can start talking to me now! But they were far more important.” Irvine, ever the professional, laughed it off and responded: “Well I did say before, I wish you’d have a word with Billy and David, and you did, so amazing work from you!”
It comes after a golden weekend at the Games for Team GB, who landed five gold medals across three different disciplines to mark their most successful Winter Olympics of all time. Matt Weston kicked things off on Friday night when he twisted and turned his way to gold in the men’s skeleton event.
Weston, alongside partner Tabitha Stoecker, added another on the skeleton track by taking gold in the inaugural mixed team event. Whereas Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale secured Team GB’s first-ever gold on snow in the mixed snowboard cross event.
