Naga Munchetty Apologizes Live on BBC After Emotional Eyewitness Interview Goes Awry

BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty issued a live apology during Thursday’s broadcast (January 2) after making a mistake while interviewing an eyewitness to a tragic incident in New Orleans. Munchetty and co-host Charlie Stayt were covering the devastating event in which a pickup truck was deliberately driven into a crowd on Bourbon Street during New Year’s celebrations, leaving at least 15 dead and 30 injured.

The driver, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, is under investigation by the FBI, which suspects he may have had accomplices. Authorities have appealed to the public for assistance and are examining Jabbar’s potential connections to terrorist organizations. In a chilling development, a potential improvised explosive device (IED) was found in the truck, with additional IEDs discovered in the French Quarter, reported by the Mirror.

Munchetty spoke with Scott Nelson, an eyewitness who was inside a nightclub near Bourbon Street at the time of the attack. However, the interview hit a snag when Munchetty appeared to misstate Nelson’s location.

“Scott, hello to you. I know you are not in New Orleans now but you were there. Can you just tell me what you knew as the incident was happening because you was inside a nightclub,” Munchetty said, according to The Express.

Nelson clarified, “Good morning, I actually am still in New Orleans. The scene is directly behind me. I was in a nightclub probably 30 metres or so from the scene where the truck crashed and immediately we saw people fleeing the scene and law enforcements running towards it.”

Recognizing the error, Munchetty quickly apologized, saying: “It’s very clear that you are still shaken and you are still in the city of New Orleans now, my apologies.”

Nelson continued to recount the terrifying moments during and after the attack, describing the chaos and swift actions of law enforcement.

In other news, Munchetty shared an exciting personal milestone. The 49-year-old announced on Instagram the upcoming release of her book, It’s Probably Nothing: Critical Conversations on the Women’s Health Crisis, set for publication in April. The book explores Munchetty’s personal health journey with Adenomyosis, a painful womb condition that took three decades to diagnose.

Her book also highlights the voices of other women who have faced similar challenges navigating the healthcare system, shedding light on a broader crisis in women’s health.