Millions of people have seen the viral clip of a BBC News presenter raising her middle finger at the camera.
Now the full video of BBC News chief presenter Maryam Moshiri counting down to her viral middle finger moment has been released.
In the video, Moshiri counts six with a thumbs-up, making a rude hand gesture for the number two, then making a face as she raises her middle finger.
After the clip went viral, Moshiri said she was sorry for having “offended or upset anyone.” “I wasn’t really ‘flipping the bird’ to viewers or even to a person. It was a stupid joke aimed at a small number of my friends.
After the video was released, Moshiri shared a message on X, formerly Twitter, saying she was happy the countdown video was released. “Again, I’m sorry this was broadcast. It was supposed to be a private laugh,” she added.
So someone released the full video!
It wasn’t the BBC that published this and it certainly wasn’t me! But in a way, I think I’m glad it’s there, because it shows that I was kind of joking with the team during the countdown.
Again, sorry, it was broadcast. It was meant… pic.twitter.com/94pATaKP7i
-Maryam Moshiri (@BBCMaryam) December 15, 2023
Last week, the official Conservative Party account picked up the viral images and used them in an article on X captioned: “Labour when you ask about their plans to tackle illegal immigration.”
The post caused a row within the party, with a number of senior MPs demanding his removal. The tweet also appears to have been very poorly received by voters, with a survey carried out by More in Common finding that 68% of the public considered it “inappropriate”.