BBC presenter Nick Robinson made an unfortunate slip-up while speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme. During a segment on welfare cuts, Robinson accidentally called Chancellor Jeremy Hunt by an offensive name—and didn’t even notice at first.
The incident occurred as Robinson was interviewing employment minister Alison McGovern. He was discussing the Conservative Party’s £12 billion welfare cuts and said, “The Tories announced £12 billion in welfare cuts, and at the time, the Labour Party condemned that. They said that Rishi Sunak, Jeremy C***, had no idea where they’d get the money.”
Apology for the Slip-Up
Robinson later apologised for the error, referring to it as a “Jim Naughtie error,” a well-known mistake that first occurred in 2010 when former Today presenter Jim Naughtie made the same slip while interviewing Jeremy Hunt.
This is not the first time Hunt’s name has led to awkward moments on live broadcasts. Earlier this year, ITV’s Nina Hossain made a similar mistake while reporting on a political row involving former Tory science secretary Michelle Donelan.
A Repeat of a Famous Blunder
The mix-up with Jeremy Hunt’s name has become infamous over the years, with multiple journalists inadvertently making the same verbal misstep. Naughtie’s 2010 blunder is often remembered, and Robinson’s latest slip joins a list of similar mishaps.
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