The BBC has been forced to issue yet another apology after a breakfast presenter triggered outrage with a major blunder about the heroic Dambusters Raid.
Sally Nugent mistakenly disrespected the legendary World War Two operation while sitting on the red sofa and discussing May’s flypast.
The 51-year-old said: "Eighty years after 19 Lancaster bombers took part in the infamous Dambusters Raid, tonight a special anniversary flypast will take place over Lincolnshire."
The UK’s national broadcaster was flooded with complaints following the blunder.
The UK's only airworthy Lancaster bomber, PA474, passes over Bracebridge Heath in Lincolnshire during the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Chastise
PA
The mistake was corrected on air on the day of broadcast.
The BBC issued a statement just days later apologising for the slip of the tongue.
A correction was also uploaded on the BBC Complaints website.
It said: "When highlighting what was coming up on the programme, we did inadvertently refer to the Dambusters Raid as 'infamous'.
"Later, when the main item aired, we referred to the 'famous' raid.
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BBC Broadcasting HousePA"In live programmes, such as Breakfast, errors do occasionally slip through, and we're sorry for this mistake, and any offence caused."
The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit also assessed Nugent’s phrase.
A spokesperson wrote: "The ECU assessed the complaint against the standards for due accuracy and impartiality set out in the BBC editorial guidelines
"The ECU agreed the original broadcast was not duly accurate.
BBC Broadcasting House, in central London
PA"Though the raid is not without its critics, the use of the word 'infamous', with its strongly negative connotations, was not appropriate.
"But the ECU found no evidence the phrase was deliberately chosen for its adverse implications, rather than being used inadvertently, or that it reflected the presenter's personal view.
"There was therefore no breach of the guidelines on impartiality."
The Dambusters Raid, known as Operation Chastise, took place in May 1943.
The UK's only airworthy Lancaster bomber, PA474, passes over Bracebridge Heath in Lincolnshire during the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Chastise
PA
It involved 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Commander deploying bouncing bombs developed by Barnes Wallis at Mohne and Edersee.
Almost 1,300 people were killed during the raid, including German civilians and Soviet prisoners.
However, Operation Chastise gave the UK a much-needed morale boost.
The Second World War ended less than two years later.
