A BBC Breakfast host raised eyebrows on Thursday by making what some viewers interpreted as a subtle quip about “frogs” during a report about French President Emmanuel Macron’s UK visit.
Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were speaking to Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, about the trip which saw Macron hosted by Theresa May at the British military academy in Sandhurst.
May has pledged £44m to strengthen Britain’s border controls in France, with officials stating the cash injection will go towards fencing, CCTV and detection technology in Calais and other ports along the Channel.
As the segment with a hoarse-sounding Tugendhat came to an end, Stayt suggested he fetch himself a glass of water, with Munchetty concurring: “Always annoying when those frogs appear at the most inopportune times.”
Twitter user Stephen Carter described it as a “brilliantly awkward segue”, with The Mystery Man paying tribute to her “amazing joke”, adding “total respect to you Naga.
Helen Lusted tweeted: “Naga that has made my day,” while another Twitter user said: “Naga deftly sums up a piece on British/ French relations during BBC Breakfast this morning.”
However some viewers were left unimpressed by her comment, with Rushlufc asking: “Really, did Naga Munchetty just make a racist remark talking about frogs in throats after an item on French talks with the UK? Not good enough, BBC Breakfast.”
A BBC spokesman said: “Our guest appeared to be struggling with a croaky voice and Naga was simply referring to that.”