Sky News ’ political editor Beth Rigby made a blunder live on air on Tuesday as she reported on Rishi Sunak becoming the new Prime Minister.
Sunak was confirmed to be heading into Number 10 after rival Penny Mordaunt pulled out of the Tory leadership race, following Liz Truss ’ resignation just 45 days into the role. The former Chancellor travelled to Buckingham Palace to meet with King Charles , becoming the first PM to be invited to form a government by the new monarch.
But Rigby slipped up as she updated viewers on the ongoing events - seeming to momentarily forget that the Queen died in September aged 96, The Mirror reports . She said: “Rishi Sunak is about to become the Prime Minister. He’s just about to have his audience with the Queen.”
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Viewers were quick to pick up on the blunder, with several pointing out the mistake on social media. “Someone needs to remind Beth Rigby that the Queen passed away a few weeks ago,” one person tweeted.
Many viewers made light of the slip-up, with one saying: “Beth Rigby just said that Rishi is now off to see the Queen and honestly at this point, wouldn’t even be surprised by that twist.”
“Beth Rigby has just said on Sky News that Rishi Sunak is on his way for an audience with the Queen,” another added. “Bet he didn’t see his day going that way!”
“Beth Rigby just said that Sunak was about to have an audience with the Queen. It’s not just Rishi making a surprise comeback,” one person joked on Twitter .
Another quipped: “Guess we are still getting used to it, but Beth Rigby just said on Sky News Rishi is off for an audience with the Queen. We doing government through séance now?”
But several Sky News viewers had sympathy for the presenter over the blunder, with one person pointing out: “70 years of habit to break can’t be easy!”
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