Most Embarrassing Live TV Bloopers

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In the TV business, those with experience say you should never work with animals and children. Maybe they’ve got the right idea, because this list has both! There’s also plenty of bad weather, bad behavior, bad attitudes and just bad, bad, bad — all caught on camera.

Live TV provides some great entertainment, but it always comes with some risks. Today, thanks to the magic of YouTube, hilarious moments caught on camera can be viewed over and over again. Let’s take a look at some of the most embarrassing, awkward and unexpected things to ever happen on live TV!

A Sketchy Sketch

The news anchor on KY3 couldn’t help but chuckle at this sketch released by Pennsylvania police on their Facebook page after a robbery at a farmer’s market. The child-like doodle was actually made by a well-meaning witness of the crime, but it was certainly strange that the police deemed it worthy of sharing.

Photo Courtesy: Top Five Central/YouTube

On the other hand, the release of this sketch prompted people to come forward, and the robber was caught — although giving all the credit to the sketch is pretty questionable. Even more interesting is the contrast between the robber’s Western looks and his Eastern name — Hung Phouc Nyugen.

Ain’t Got That Swing

Ever wanted the ground to just swallow you up? I’m pretty sure that’s what this weatherman must have been thinking. Just before the show’s Activity of the Day segment, the hosts told their resident meteorologist they would be discussing “swinging.”

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Photo Courtesy: Top Five Central/YouTube

Their colleague got completely confused about the topic, and awkwardly tried to wrap his head around why they would be discussing group sex — not the kids’ swing set pastime (the obvious intention). Rather than bail the weatherman out, the anchors rolled with it, laughing their heads off until the poor guy realized his error.

What a Turkey

It’s nice that this show livened up a topic as potentially bland as the stock market by bringing in props. However, when the prop in question is a live bird, let’s just say the idea could be asking for a lot of trouble.

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Photo Courtesy: Top Five Central/YouTube

The camera focused on the first presenter as he wrapped up his news report. However, we could hear a bit of a commotion off-camera, and the newsreader was clearly distracted and smirking. As the shot panned across to his colleague, viewers could see he was holding a rather panicked turkey. Why? Simply because it was Thanksgiving.

Birds’ Eye View

To twist an old saying, too many hosts spoil the report. At least that’s what this seemingly giant black bird probably thought when it photobombed KTVU weatherman Mark Tamayo’s broadcast. Landing straight on the camera, the bird’s beady eyes stared directly into the lens, making the creature seem much larger than its natural size.

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Photo Courtesy: Top Five Central/YouTube

It apparently had the desired effect, because Mark backed away from the green screen, while the bird satisfied itself with a few more moments of airtime. It finally flapped its wings and took off, satisfied with its 15 seconds of fame.

A Model Example

As long as it’s obvious that no one is hurt, then you have to admit it’s kind of funny when people fall. That’s even more true when they’re strutting across a runway in seriously impractical shoes, like this catwalk model. And it’s doubly funny when they fall twice!

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Photo Courtesy: Top Five Central/YouTube

Nevertheless, you expect news anchors to be professionals and rein in the laughter. Unfortunately, Jim Vance and George Michael of News4 couldn’t pull it off. Considering this clip has been watched several million times, it’s a good thing Polish model Kamila Wawrzyniak has a good sense of humor. She says she laughed right along with everyone else.

Dodgy Drawing

I find it pretty hard to believe this ice hockey analyst’s head was so far into the game that he didn’t realize what he was drawing. Even at the, ahem, base of the image, you can just sense what was coming (sorry). So, for the drawing to continue like that — without even a wry smile from its creator — was pretty crazy.

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Photo Courtesy: Best TV News Bloopers Fails 2017/YouTube

It wasn’t hard to see, obviously — even his colleagues on the Hungarian news channel could be heard chuckling in the background. The bad news everyone was too busy sniggering to discuss the stiff opposition.

Going to the Dogs

It’s fair to say this newsreader wasn’t prepared for her unexpected co-anchor. The black Labrador retriever introduced himself with a woof, startling newsreader Ilona Linarte. Nevertheless, she continued, even when the disruptive doggie sniffed around the desk and leapt up to have a look at what was on it.

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Photo Courtesy: Best TV News Bloopers Fails/2017

The presenter’s surprise was real, as she exclaimed in Russian that she was more of a cat person and had no idea how the dog got in there. The station later explained the furry intruder was scheduled to appear on another program and had wandered off.

A Cold Front

Some people will do anything to be on TV. Take this baseball-capped, shirtless guy, for example. It’s not known whether the studio knew the guy, but they certainly laughed as he slowly sauntered into the shot, faced the camera, started wriggling and said, “thunderstorms, thunderstorms, thunderstorms.” In any case, they didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get him off-screen.

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Photo Courtesy: Best TV News Bloopers Fails 2017/YouTube

The presenter simply looked on, bemused. He apparently decided to let the guy get the invasion out of his system before he finally said, “I need to go to my safe space.”

False Alibi

Deliberately false names are often chosen to be funny, as proven by a man supposedly known as “Hugh Janus.” The prankster, who worked at a local Long Island liquor store, was interviewed by news journalists who were attempting to report on a proposed power plant expansion.

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Photo Courtesy: Best TV News Bloopers Fails 2017/YouTube

Commenting on how the extensive roadwork to bury new power lines would affect his commute, “Hugh” seemed a little peeved, saying, “I mean, Stuart Avenue is already bad enough during rush hour, so I think this could make traffic even worse, which is bad for my commute.”

Out with a Fizz

The Georgia Dome Demolition was a much-anticipated event, with people flocking to watch it all come crumbling down. Those who couldn’t make it to the site were quick to tune in to channels with the best view, which The Weather Channel thought it had.

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Unfortunately, after live streaming for 40 uneventful minutes, right at the crucial moment of detonation — a bus pulled up in front of the camera and completely obscured the shot. Can you imagine the collective outrage? Weather Channel editor James Crugnale can be heard pleading for the bus to move, but he did at least see the funny side and shared the botched footage to Twitter.

A Family Intervention

When American academic Robert Kelly appeared on BBC World News, his young son wanted to come and say hello. Daddy was in the middle of an interview, but he got the situation partially under control while the cameras kept rolling.

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But the drama wasn’t over. His second child came casually strolling in, followed clumsily by his wife, who scrambled the whole kiddy crew out in a very comedic fashion. “I could not understand why the BBC was carrying on with the interview,” Kelly told The Guardian. “Maybe they realized right away it was comedy gold.”

Feeling Low

Professor of Security Studies Mia Bloom is an esteemed Canadian academic and author of several serious books. So, naturally, it was a bit of a shame when her appearance on CNN was interrupted by dodgy equipment.

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Photo Courtesy: Sean Gajewski/YouTube

Talking with authority into the camera, Dr. Bloom seems to sink down as the camera loses its angle. Back in the studio, everyone professionally kept a straight face as the camera moved back up again, and the broadcast continued. We hope Professor Bloom still managed to get her points across, despite the camera angle capers!

It’s Rude to Stare

This pair of photobombers went viral for the way they stared at Erin Andrews during the post-game NFL show on Fox News. The public even gave them their own nicknames: Beardo and Dreads.

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After their goofy, frozen expressions were broadcast to millions, the pair decided to continue their legacy by photobombing on The Today Show. What’s more, the star-struck duo — real names Hans and Broc — managed to ride their 15 minutes of fame even further by landing themselves an interview with Katie Nolan from Fox’s new sports talk show, Crowd Goes Wild.

Ice Ice Baby

News anchor John Knicely has been around for a while, so he probably remembers Crystal Pepsi when it first came out. Pepsi’s attempt at a new, cool soft drink happened in the ’90s, but the clear-colored beverage was never much of a hit.

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Knicely’s slip of the tongue — or at least we hope it was — happened when he was reading out Tweets on the show, which were all about ’90s flashbacks. Instead of reading “Nothing will ever be as cool as Crystal Pepsi,” he instead professed his love for crystal meth. Icy!

Twerking Tears

Big Brother UK star Lateysha Grace was keen to show off her twerking skills during an interview. However, her form-fitting dress couldn’t quite contain her booty when she turned her butt to the camera to dance — and pop!

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Fellow reality TV-star-turned-chat-host Rylan Clark was quick to try and coax Lateysha’s curves back into her busted clothing, while the Welsh beauty cried, “Why is this happening to me?” Rylan, giggling of course, simply told her she had made his day. Thankfully, no publicity is bad publicity when it comes to the reality TV realm!

Brush Up

Everyone wants to look their best, especially when you’re appearing on live TV. Apparently, this BBC news anchor’s broadcast came a little sooner than she expected, and she hadn’t quite finished boosting her hair.

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The camera panned around while Carole Walker made some last-minute preparations for her show — and then she realized she was already live on the air. She hastily put the brush away, but her handbag was left sitting on the desk when she started the news. Still, good for, Carole, for doing your own hair, and that was a pretty nice handbag!

Not So Cute Kitty

This is another older clip, but it deserves to be featured for sheer shock value. The young female lion on this early 2000s Mexican TV clip was calm at first, but its ears pricked up at the toddler whining — and then it lunged!

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The handler and the toddler’s mom took action and grabbed the cub and held the screaming child up, all while looking ridiculously calm. Why was the mother smiling, for goodness sake? And what was a young child doing on stage with a lion in the first place? Fortunately, everyone was fine, but it’s a good bet this little girl didn’t ask to go to the zoo after this episode.

All Aflutter

It’s fair to say Australian Network Nine reporter Brittney Kleyn was taken by surprise when Mother Nature introduced her own props to the broadcast. Despite living in one of the most wildlife-rich countries in the world, Brittney was caught off guard and screamed when a parrot landed on her shoulder.

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Not seeming to see the humorous side of the interruption, she declared, “This is not funny,” and pleaded with her colleagues to remove the cute feathered creature. With a reaction like that, we won’t even bother to consider how she would have dealt with the lion situation above.

Bill Bowls Over

Bill Murray is a hoot, isn’t he? A quick search on Google or YouTube brings up all kinds of funny business that the Murr-meister has been involved in over the years. This particular clip is a classic.

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He had already been throwing back shots on The David Letterman Show when he swaggered onto the set of The Last Word with MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell. He plopped himself onto a high stool — and immediately came crashing down. He then went on to slur his way through the rest of the interview. But is he still a legend? Yes, absolutely.

Top TV Trolling

Not content with keeping his trolling confined to Twitter, Jon Hendren took it to live TV. Somehow, he was called upon to give his views on a show about Edward Snowden. “Saying that he couldn’t harm somebody with what he did — he could,” Hendren said on HLN’s viral news show The Daily Share.

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It soon became apparent the straight-faced jokester was talking about Edward Scissorhands, the misunderstood character played by Johnny Depp. Rolling with it, Hendren added, “To cast him out… simply because he has scissors for hands? I mean, that’s strange.”

Weary Weatherman

Piers Morgan is a well-known, quite controversial figure. This makes British weatherman Alex Beresford’s sass all the more hilarious. The beef between these two on This Morning is ongoing and includes Morgan calling the meteorologist “pathetic” and saying he “couldn’t hate him more” than he already did.

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Beresford usually lets his expressions do the talking, but when he was asked if he relied on Morgan’s support while doing Dancing on Ice, he replied: “What I really need is for Piers to continue hating me, then everyone will support me. That’s my plan!”

News Flash

No list of embarrassing bloopers would be complete without a good old-fashioned flash. This NBC Bay Area news report about a Hillary Clinton fundraiser was suitably serious and discussed money in politics. However, a bold woman decided to donate something a little different to the cause.

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With a cheeky smile, the cheeky lady stood in the frame of the shot and lifted her shirt while the newsreader, Pete Suratos, remained oblivious. When the feed switched back to the studio, the anchorwoman simply deadpanned: “And we apologize for that in the background of Pete’s live shot there.”

Brushed Off

Unlike the BBC’s Carole Walker, Hannah Storm lets other people prep her look for live TV. She was about to read ESPN’s SportsCenter report, and the hand of the make-up artist can still be seen in the shot, dabbing some last-minute touches on Hannah’s face.

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After realizing they were already live, Hannah gave the make-up artist a good shove — and a Twitter storm ensued. Of course, she took to Twitter to say the makeup artist was “a good friend of mine” and “would have gotten in major trouble had she been seen on air.” A likely story, Hannah.

An Unexpected Guest

This anchorwoman didn’t have such an aggressive response when her shot was invaded, but that’s probably because she was clearly caught off guard. Wendy Burch was live on KTLA 5 when a cheeky bloke quietly crept up behind her to strike a pose.

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Suddenly noticing the man, Wendy screamed and jumped. Hilariously, the man also jumped, and the cameraman swiftly told him off while his colleague composed herself. Wendy barely managed to save herself from swearing on live TV as she giggled and said, “You scared the shhh out of me!”

Hot Hot Heat

By this point, we’ve established that there are four common reactions to live TV mishaps: confusion, annoyance, fear and humor. The latter approach was the one weatherman Cory McCloskey chose, rolling with it when his weather map went haywire.

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Arizona is hot at the best of times, but when places such as Ahwatukee, Cave Creek and Wickenburg start showing temperatures up to almost 3,000 degrees, the apocalypse is upon us, or something is clearly wrong. Nevertheless, the veteran reporter had some fun with it, saying, “Frankly, Wickenburg is a total loss,” and advising people to evacuate.

What’s in a Name?

Okay, come on! This is even more of an obvious prank than the entry above. Unfortunately, it hugely backfired. It was done in pretty bad taste, considering the seriousness of the report involving four pilots who died in an Asiana Airlines crash. However, newsreader Tori Campbell on KTVU-TV didn’t bat an eye as she read out the rather ridiculous fake names.

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In KTVU-TV’s defense, they said the information had been confirmed by the National Transportation Safety Board. The executives at Asiana Airlines weren’t happy and stated they would take legal action against the station.

Shake It!

Back to Britain here, and let’s be honest — we could make a whole new list featuring Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s cheeky behavior on This Morning. They love to bounce comments off each other and frequently dissolve into giggles whenever there are puns or innuendos involved. So, it’s likely the producers knew full well what would happen when Holly demonstrated a rather jiggly shake weight.

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Phil read the instructions, advising Holly to grip the tool firmly 6 inches away from her face. Then he told her to move it back and forth slowly. You guessed it — smirks and laughter ensued.

Wardrobe Malfunction

It’s important to dress carefully when you’re on live TV, and Argentinian news presenter Alina Moine probably considered her little black dress to be a safe choice. As she discussed the Rio de Janeiro Olympics with her co-presenter Maxi Palma, she brought her hand up to make a gesture.

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Unfortunately, Alina, who was reporting for Fox Sports, lifted her dress with the movement as well, accidentally flashing everyone on live TV. Ever the professional, she swiftly smoothed her dress back down and carried on with the broadcast — probably with fewer hand gestures.

Giving Them the Finger

In sassy British weatherman news, a live TV moment captured Tomasz Schafernaker flipping the bird to his colleague. Anchorman Simon McCoy jokingly said that the forecast would be “100% accurate,” which is a fair quip considering the unpredictable U.K. weather.

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Photo Courtesy: Best TV News Bloopers Fails 2017/YouTube

The shot flipped to a caught-off-guard Tomasz, who was sticking his middle finger up at his colleague. Naturally, he did what we all do when caught doing it: He pretended to scratch his chin. Of course, the public wasn’t fooled by the attempted save, and the BBC was forced to apologize for the rude gesture.

Abominable Photobomb

When Jennifer Pagliei was reporting on the developing snowstorms in Springfield, she did not expect to encounter a mythical creature. Unbelievably, that’s what happened when a sasquatch crept into the shot. Intrigued, the cameraman panned across to follow the beast, as Jennifer continued with the report.

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So, who was behind the prank? It was actually a man dressed in a suit made of fake cannabis leaves. The so-called Potsquatch was a mascot for Potco, a local store described by owner Dave Mech as a “Costco for marijuana.” Well, that explains seeing Bigfoot in a snowstorm, right?

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