Going to town on BBC's East Neuk gaffe
A BBC radio presenter made an embarrassing blunder this week after referring to the East Neuk of Fife as a town.
Pittenweem, in the, erm... East Neuk.
- By Craig McManamon
- Published in the Courier : 16.10.10
- Published online : 16.10.10 @ 06.59am
The Radio 3 presenter, not named, made the gaffe live on air when delivering a piece on the East Neuk Festival.
Believing the area was in fact a busy fishing port, the female presenter said, "Now in today's lunchtime concert, I am going to take you to the beautiful, if occasionally windswept, Scottish coastal town of East Neuk. Traditionally the favoured holiday destination of well-heeled Edinburgh residents... and still a busy fishing port."
The incredible error was immediately picked up by Pittenweem man, Bill Kennaway, who was stunned at what he had heard and contacted the BBC for an explanation.
"I emailed Radio 3 about their gaffe and asked whether this was a spoof to check whether anyone out there was listening," said Mr Kennaway. "But events proved otherwise. Their second broadcast from the festival on Wednesday compounded the calumny by saying that the venue, Kilrenny, was 'near East Neuk.'
"There is another Radio 3 festival broadcast — I dread to think what that has in store for the poor old East Neuk."
Fife has been at the centre of a high-profile broadcasting mistake before.
Many years back TV sports presenter Sam Leitch said, "They'll be dancing in the streets of Raith tonight," after Raith Rovers, of Kirkcaldy, won a big game.
The BBC were invited to comment but choose not to.
09.26am - 18.10.2010 Mike Stirling - Forfar, Scotland Report This
LOL, and the English wonder why we want independance!!<br />Probably the reporter's first venture beyond the M25! Research, what research? LOL!
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