Nicky Campbell replaced on Radio 5 Live as show pulled for 20 minutes in on-air chaos

Nicky Campbell's 5 Live radio programme was hit with a technical glitch forcing the BBC to air a four year old interview.

After the presenter completed the intro of the morning programme, listeners were met with trance music and not a lively discussion.

Soon after a message began to be broadcast across the airwaves, saying: "We are sorry but BBC Radio 5 Live is currently experiencing temporary technical difficulties. We hope to return to normal programming as soon as possible."

After five minutes, the broadcaster then bizarrely cut to an in-depth interview between DJ Nihal Arthanayake and Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien, dating from March 2020.

Nicky issued an apology 20 minutes later when he finally returned to the programme and the glitch was seemingly dealt with.

He finally returned at 9.20 am as Nicky issued an apology: "Well, how you doing? We’ve re-routed the studios now, after some – I don’t know if you noticed – some technical glitches, but we are back on the air. We’re up and running, we’re going to do this.

"Thank you very much for the texts, especially the one that said this is your best ever programme!"

In reference to the random Radiohead interview just aired, he joked: "Radiohead...yeah, I've been a 'Radiohead' since I was 12 and here I am, talking to you, so talk to me."

He then asked listeners for their opinion one one of the topics of the day, whether we still "love our pubs".

"I will be certainly heading to one straight after the programme", he added.

Listeners flocked to social media app X as they complained about the technical glitches.

@GerryKeogh tweeted: "@bbc5live off air for right now. Engineers all on holiday due to the bank holiday saying...#5live #radio5live."

@Barney71 said: "Radio 5 Live off air for 10 minutes right now - did they not have an engineer on standby on the bank holiday?"