Channel 9
Channel Nine insiders have revealed the truth about Tracy Grimshaw’s royal blunder which saw the star wrongly announce the Queen’s retirement from public duties.
Speaking with the Daily Telegraph, network sources confirm the veteran reporter was being “fed incorrect news by a frantic producer” when she made the humiliating gaffe during a live-cross with UK correspondent Michael Best outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
“To get something so significant so wrong, it is unforgivable,” an anonymous source told the publication.
“There is no situation ever where it would be ok to hang out to dry a presenter like Tracy was last week.”
“A presenter of Tracy’s calibre should have an amazing team supporting her and the people working with her last Thursday were obviously not that.”
It took 39 seconds for A Current Affair’s in-studio team to get their act together after Grimshaw told viewers she had “confirmation” that the sovereign was in effect abdicating.
“Michael I am hearing that there is a Royal announcement, there has been an announcement that the Queen is stepping down from public life and that is very significant,’ Grimshaw said before asking producers: “Have we got confirmation of that or is that speculation?”
The 56-year-old then confirmed the news before Michael clarified: “I think it’s Prince Philip.”
A spokeswoman for Nine told The Daily Telegraph the mistake was “understandable in the situation.”
“When there is breaking news and it is live TV there is a lot going on,” she said.
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