BBC News at One presenter Ben Brown was forced to issue a public apology during Friday’s (April 19) bulletin. During a report about MP Mark Menzies, the wrong image lashed on screen showing instead MP William Wragg and he addressed it at the end of the show.
“Now we just need to apologise for a mistake earlier in the programme when we were telling you about allegations against the MP Mark Menzies but we showed a picture of the MP William Wragg which was an error,” he said looking sternly at the camera. That was the end of the apology and the bulletin faded out following his words.
This isn’t the first time Wragg’s image has been shown on a BBC News programme in error. On April 9 BBC Breakfast host Sally Nugent was going through the top headlines for the UK when an error with an image was made.
She opened the segment by telling BBC viewers how Wragg had stepped down as vice chairman of the 1922 Committee after sharing personal phone numbers of MPs with someone on a dating app.
However, when Nugent mentioned Simon Harris, who was set to become the Irish Prime Minister at a ceremony in Dublin later that day, a photograph of Wragg was used on the screen behind her.
Although she briefly glanced at the incorrect image, she didn’t address it and continued with her report.
Wragg faced calls to resign after he told The Times he gave out colleagues’ details after he’d sent intimate photographs of himself, saying he was “mortified” and “scared”.
Leicestershire Police and the Metropolitan Police are investigating following reports at least 12 males in political circles received unsolicited messages.
Wragg told the publication: “I’m so sorry my weakness has caused other people hurt. I got chatting to a guy on an app and we exchanged pictures.”
He continued: “We were meant to meet up for drinks, but then didn’t. Then he started asking for numbers of people. “I was worried because he had stuff on me,” he claimed.
The politician alleged the person they were speaking to “had compromising things on me” and would not leave him alone.
He added: “They would ask for people. I gave them some numbers, but not all of them. I told him to stop. He’s manipulated me and now I’ve hurt other people.”
