BBC Look North was forced off the air after a fire alarm caused chaos in the BBC News studio, with host Peter Levy issuing an apology to viewers.
Viewers in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire tuned in for their local news bulletin on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, only to discover that long-time presenter Peter Levy was missing from the broadcast, with national anchor Anna Foster stepping in with regional updates instead.
Audiences were quick to flock to X, previously known as Twitter, voicing their concerns about the 68-year-old presenter's sudden disappearance, fuelling speculation around a possible technical hitch.
However, Peter, who has been at the helm of BBC's regional news since November 2002, did not leave fans in the dark for long. He took to the social media platform to shed light on the situation, affirming that an unexpected fire alarm in the studio was to blame for the disruption.
"Missed you for your lunchtime news Peter! Was there a technical problem?" inquired a concerned viewer on X, commonly referred to as Twitter.
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Addressing the query, Peter confirmed the interruption of his show due to the fire alarm and stated: "Sorry.....we had a fire alarm. No fire. Normal service will be resumed at 6:30pm as they say," reports the Mirror.
The Daily Mirror is awaiting a response from BBC Look North for further details.
BBC viewers and stars have had to adjust to sudden changes before. In late November 2023, a fire alarm scare forced BBC Breakfast hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty to abandon their presenting duties mid-show.
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The pair were in the midst of a conversation with a reporter in Bristol, commemorating the 20th anniversary of Concorde's final flight, when they were abruptly cut off for a segment on Gaza.
It was a full fifteen minutes before the morning TV audience received an explanation, as Naga and Charlie reappeared on the red sofa.
"You're returning to BBC Breakfast. Apologies, we had an evacuation in the building but we are back now with you to keep you up to date with the latest in the news," Naga announced.
More recently, on August 1, 2024, the BBC studios were evacuated due to another potential fire. Five fire engines arrived at the Salford, Greater Manchester site where BBC Breakfast is filmed, following reports of a "laptop explosion".
