BBC Breakfast’s Roger Johnson asked a guest for forgiveness after he asked a “really random” question during a live television interview.
The presenter was back on the famous red sofa on Sunday (February 23) morning alongside co-star Rachel Burden as they woke up the nation with the latest news headlines from across the globe.
They reported that more than 9,000 people are estimated to have been rough sleeping in England in September last year according to the latest government figures.
A video clip then played showing reporter Jeremy Ball spending a night with a charity on the streets of Nottinghamshire.
Roger later spoke to Martin Collett, the chief executive of housing association English Rural, about the footage.
During the conversation, Roger said: “Sorry, this is a really random question so forgive me but I notice you are in Chipping Norton which is a really nice part of the Cotswolds. Could you go out from there and find somebody having exactly those problems within a short distance from where you are?”
Martin replied: Absolutely. There is this perception that poverty doesn’t exist in the rural areas but it absolutely does.”
It comes after Charlie Stayt was forced to abruptly end his chat with Simon Smith, former UK ambassador to Ukraine, during Saturday’s (February 22) show due to breaking news.
The presenter had to interject, saying: “Simon, I appreciate your time this morning and your expertise and I apologise for interrupting you but we’ve got to go straight to Gaza where the latest handover of the hostages looks like is about to begin.”
At the scene, two hostages were ushered on stage at Rafah by armed men. Reports suggested these were Avera Mengistu, an Israeli of Ethiopian heritage who wandered into Gaza in 2014 and has been detained since, and Tal Shoham, taken from Kibbutz Be’eri during an attack on southern Israel led by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am