a day ago
Jaw-dropping moment BBC radio host drops the F-bomb live on air as he is hit by cramp - then shamefacedly tells listeners: 'I went on a course yesterday to be better on the radio'
A BBC radio host was caught swearing live on air as he is hit by a cramp, just one day after going on a course to be a better host.
Ian Skye, the mid-morning presenter of BBC Radio Derby, was left red faced after his screams were heard live on air when he thought his producers had cut away from him.
In the background, the presenter screams: 'Ow, f***ing hell,' before the show cuts back to the presenters chatting after a song had played.
As his co-host joked they had been on a training course the day before to improve their presenting skills, saying: 'I don't think they suggested suddenly getting unbearably agonising cramp and shouting really loud on the radio.'
Ian stuttered in response, saying: 'No, that's probably not what I should have come in and done today.' He then added: 'Can I just say, if before that amazing song from Kate Bush, and I say if. You'd have had to be deaf if you didn't hear a rude word.
'I really profusely apologise. You know when something happens and it's just instinct. My very, very calm producer said 'you're still on the radio, Ian.'
TV critic Scott Bryan tweeted about the incident with the words: 'We now cross over to BBC Radio Derby.'
And people online have immediately had their say on the hilarious moment.
One person said: 'Known Ian for 30 yeas. He is a good guy. This is a moment and it has passed. Why we still feel the need to pretend to be shocked in a 24/7 unedited world is beyond me. Plus, it is possibly one of the most entertaining things on BBC derby in years!'
Another added: 'I honestly think this is my moment of the year.'
A third agreed: 'I have laughed so hard at this so many times, thank you for posting it, thank you so much.'
A fourth chimed: 'Perfectly managed. Swore, made a joke. Didn't make a big deal of it. Really well handled.'
However some people were not as pleased by the blunder.
One person said: 'Tens of people in the Derby and the Derby area will have heard a swearword, and you're laughing.'
While another wrote: 'Did not apologise straight away, made a joke instead. Ofcom warning.'
Ian has been a radio presenter for over 13 years, having worked at Radio Wyvern in Worcester as well as stations in Kent, Newcastle and Teesside.
It was at Radio Wyvern that he actually chose his name Skye. His real name is Wickens but his bosses said Wickens wouldn't work in a sung jingle. He liked the Isle of Skye, so Ian Skye was born.
The episode has echoes of Maryam Moshiri raising her middle finger at the camera during a BBC news broadcast in December 2023.
The clip, which went viral, showed her raising her eyebrows and tilting her head as she raised her middle finger at the camera for a few seconds as she came on screen as the intro music comes to an end.
She said about the incident: 'Hey everyone, yesterday just before the top of the hour I was joking around a bit with the team in the gallery.
'I was pretending to count down as the director was counting me down from 10-0.. including the fingers to show the number. So from 10 fingers held up to one.
'When we got to 1 I turned finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera. It was a private joke with the team and I'm so sorry it went out on air!'
