Most Expensive News Bloopers and Fails in History

Year: 2017
Network: WLBT-TV

During a live weather report on WLBT-TV in 2017, a little boy ran onto the set to deliver his own forecast. Without missing a beat, the boy exclaimed, “There are going to be farts and toots everywhere!” before being whisked away by an off-camera crew member. 

Kid Interrupts Weather Report to Forcast 'Farts & Toots Everywhere’ @usweekly/Pinterest

Although the incident was undoubtedly a hilarious blooper, it served as a reminder that sometimes, unexpected moments can make for the best television. And hey, you can’t fault the kid for warning everyone about the possibility of heavy winds. 

Year: 2014
Network: BBC

In 2014, BBC weatherwoman Carol Kirkwood made a hilarious mistake during her weather report when she announced that it was going to be 99 degrees somewhere and everywhere. Of course, this was impossible and caused a lot of amusement for viewers as well as everyone in the studio. 

BBC Says It's Going To Be A Scorcher Somewhere @thetimessunday/Pinterest

Kirkwood later explained what had happened, stating she had accidentally pressed the clicker too many times, bringing up the generic slide that has since found a permanent place on Carol’s personal highlight real. It just goes to show that even the most seasoned professionals can make mistakes on live TV.

Year: 2016
Network: TV1

Sam Wallace, a former weatherman for New Zealand’s Tv1 Breakfast show, was presenting a segment on a weather map when he noticed something unexpected. A cloud formation had appeared in the shape of male genitalia. 

Giant Cloud Leaves a Studio in Hysterics @Vladimir Garin/Youtube

As the camera panned in on the offending cloud, Wallace was unable to contain his laughter, and the studio was sent into hysterics. He later admitted to finding it difficult to keep a straight face and referred to the incident as his “biggest weather fail.” In an unrelated move, shortly after the incident, Wallace made the move to radio.

Year: 2020
Network: NASCAR on FOX

During an interview, NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney “accidentally” drank water through his face mask on live TV. Or so everyone thought. While many laughed at the blooper, Blaney insists he didn’t forget he was wearing the mask. 

Blaney Misses His Mouth on Live TV @r/NASCAR/Reddit

In a post-race interview, he explained that he was trying to stay hydrated while wearing the mask due to COVID-19 restrictions, and the act was mainly because he thought “it would be funny.” Apparently, everyone else did too. Kudos, Blaney, for putting a humorous twist on a tough situation.

Year: 2014
Network: WWSB

Not all news bloopers are caused by the anchors or field reporters missing a beat or messing up. A lot of the time, the production crew is to blame. A great example of this happened in 2014 while an unsuspecting anchor for WWSB in Sarasota was giving her evening report. 

Poor Placement for this Anchor @timemagazine/Pinterest

It’s not unusual for images to be superimposed on screen alongside an anchor as they deliver the news — they act as visual guides for viewers. But the photos should be just that, alongside or next to, not overlapping the reporter. In this unfortunate case, the anchor was left a little ‘pig-headed’ by the news of wild board running rampant in Sarasota.

Year: 2014
Network: WXII 12

During a live traffic report, WXII 12 News reporter Chris Lea decided to show off his athletic skills and challenged a cheerleader to a toe-touch contest. As an independent pro-wrestler, Lea was confident he could match her moves, but unfortunately, his dress pants didn’t hold up. 

Reporter Splits Pants on Air @dailymail/Pinterest

Despite his colleague warning him about the potential for a wardrobe malfunction, Lea took the risk and split his pants on live television. It shows that sometimes, it’s best to stick to your day job and leave the cheerleading to the experts.

Year: 2018
Network: KFMB-TV

As Nichelle Medina and Eric Kahnert discovered, live television is always unpredictable during a segment on San Diego’s KFMB-TV. While teasing a feature called “Zoo Day,” a resident ibis from the San Diego Zoo flew into the frame and landed on Ms. Medina’s head, jumpstarting the segment a bit too early. 

Bird Lands on Anchors Head @Cnn/Pinterest

Despite the unexpected guest, Ms. Medina remained calm and smiled as the bird perched on her head. The incident was all captured on live television, giving viewers a funny and memorable moment to laugh about.

Year: 2014
Network: Global Edmonton

In a segment that was meant to be heartwarming, things took a comedic turn when Ripple, a rescue dog, was brought on to co-present the weather forecast on Global Edmonton. As meteorologist Mike Sobel tried to point out the weather patterns on the map, Ripple had other ideas. 

Dog Completely Steals Weatherman's Thunder On Live TV globaltvnews/Pinterest

The cuddly canine was more interested in chewing on his leash and giving kisses on camera than reporting the weather. While Sobel tried his best to regain control of the situation, Ripple had stolen the spotlight and the hearts of viewers everywhere.

Year: Unknown
Network: Unknown

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare to make a mistake while giving a speech in front of a large crowd. But how about flubbing up during an interview on live TV? While clearly quite into what he was saying, the man leading this interview mistook the mic he had begun speaking into with the giant mushroom in his other hand.

Serious interview turns to giggles thanks to a mushroom @r/newsbloopers/Reddit

The two couldn’t help bursting into giggling fits once they realized what had happened. And rightfully so. Needless to say, the rest of the interview was a lighthearted affair. 

Year: 2022
Network: FOX 29

On live TV, Fox 29’s Mike Jerrick expressed his enthusiasm for National Naked Gardening Day. However, his statement took an awkward turn when he said he’d “like to see the hoes.” Co-anchor Alex Holley could hardly keep a straight face as Jerrick tried to clarify that he was referring to the gardening tools. 

This Anchor Really Likes Gardening Tools @u/tylerb011/Reddit

Despite his slip-up, Jerrick continued on with the segment, reminding viewers of the plethora of tools and accessories one could use to garden. It’s always important to double-check your words before you speak them on live television. Even trained professional news anchors can make mistakes.

Year: 2023
Network: NBC6 South Florida

During a live broadcast, NBC6 South Florida meteorologist Chelsea Ambriz was caught off-guard when a visiting pigeon decided to ‘visit’ the studio. While the camera was showing a live feed from Hollywood Beach, the bird flew straight at the camera. 

Florida meteorologist gets scared by pesky pigeon @dailymail/Pinterest

Understandably, Ambriz released a fearful hoot and backed away as quickly as possible, bracing herself for impact. As a display that proved Ambriz had a sense of humor about the whole ordeal, she shared the video on Twitter, joking about the moment the bird had ‘flown’ at her.

Year: 2016
Network: 7 News

During her post-match interview after a comeback win at the Australian Open, Daria Gavrilova had an embarrassing slip of the tongue, leaving the crowd roaring with laughter. The 21-year-old tennis player was discussing her victory over Kristina Mladenovic when she accidentally said, “I am good from behind.” 

Daria Gavrilova Tells Interviewer That She's 'Good from Behind’ @awfulannouncing /Twitter

She quickly realized the connotation of her words, covered her mouth with her hand, and blushed while talking to 7 News reporters. The incident was yet another example of live news bloopers that can happen to anyone.

Year: 2016
Network: Fox Sports

During a live sports news broadcast, Fox Sports News presenter Katherine Loughnan mistakenly said ‘farting’ instead of ‘fighting’ while discussing the upcoming Brisbane test for the Australian Cricket team. The blunder was recorded by a viewer and shared on social media. 

Fox Sports Anchorsays Australian Team 'Farting for Final Spot’ @dailymail/Pinterest

Despite the error, Loughnan carried on confidently without acknowledging her mistake. This is just one example of the many hilarious bloopers that have occurred during live news broadcasts, showcasing the unpredictability of live television.

Year: 2018
Network: KHQ

In an example of terrible timing, KHQ news station in Spokane, WA, was reporting a serious story on a fatal car crash while staff members nearby in the studio were celebrating the Minnesota Vikings’ win. Their celebratory cheers could be heard in the background on-air.

Staff Members Cheer While TV Anchor Reads Bad News ©wcrz.com

The station apologized and said it was investigating the incident. This highlights the importance of professionalism in a newsroom and the need to maintain an appropriate atmosphere, especially during sensitive and tragic news stories.