BBC News presenter issues grovelling apology after swearing down camera as licence fee payers outraged

A clip of the moment has since gone viral on social media, with a number of licence fee payers outraged at the professionalism on display.

Moshiri can be seen raising her eyebrows and tilting her head before quickly flipping her middle finger to the camera.

Realising she's on air, Moshiri quickly reverts to a more professional position and begins to read aloud the bulletin with the latest headlines.

Following the backlash to the moment, Moshiri has taken to the web to say sorry for any offence caused.

WATCH NOW: Andrew and Bev mock BBC News presenter caught swearing on-air

Moshiri shared her apology on X, formerly Twitter, where she penned: "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! It was not my intention for this to happen and I’m sorry if I offended or upset anyone.

"I wasn’t ‘flipping the bird’ at viewers or even a person really," Moshiri insisted.

She concluded her apology by saying: "It was a silly joke that was meant for a small number of my mates."

But it may be damaged limitations for a number of X users who slammed the presenter for the on-air incident.

GB News's very own Darren Grimes hit out at the moment as he posted: "BBC News. At last they tell us how they feel about us."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Farage superbly stands firm as Tony Bellew fumes 'they've p**sed power up the wall' in tense Brexit debate
  
• BBC Doctor Who bosses considered casting 'non-binary Doctor' before Ncuti Gatwa landed role
  
• Farage shares 'frustration' as he's ousted from I'm A Celeb trial: 'I want to pull my weight!'
  

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…

— Maryam Moshiri (@BBCMaryam) December 7, 2023

A second also mocked the Beeb: "BBC accidentally showing what they really think of licence fee payers," followed by laughing emojis.

"A picture paints a thousand words @BBC," a third hit out while a fourth blasted: "This isn’t satire, an actual BBC News presenter got caught giving the middle finger live. Maryam Moshiri summing up the professionalism currently at the BBC."

And a fifth echoed: "BBC - Presenter swearing at licence taxpayers. Saw a photo of this yesterday & assumed it was photoshopped. But no. It's the BBC swearing at us."

GB News has contacted the BBC for comment.