BBC One viewers were left confused as BBC One appeared to suffer a technical fault midway through Panorama’s Undercover in the Police special, cutting away to Newsnight by mistake

BBC One suffered a technical fault tonight as Panorama’s latest special was pulled off air. Viewers tuning into the Undercover in the Police episode were left confused when they were met with a title card apologising for a technical error.

Midway through presenter Emma Vardy reviewing undercover footage, the programme was interrupted by a BBC Radio 3 advert. A narrator began saying: “Bring calm to your afternoon and drift off to sleep, with music to unwind your mind. Radio 3 unwind.”

A title card then flashed up on the screen, which read: “We are sorry for the break in this programme and are trying to correct the fault. However, just seconds later, a member of staff on the set of Newsnight was accidentally broadcast, with the person seen looking down at the floor whilst wearing a headset microphone.

A Newsnight producer made their accidental BBC One debut due to a technical difficultyShortly afterwards, the technical error title card appeared on screen for another two minutes before the Panorama special resumed.

The Mirror has reached out to the BBC for comment. Viewers quickly took to social media to discuss the error, with one writing: “Is the #BBCOne broken? This documentary was getting far too scandalous and Charing Cross police made them take it down,” alongside two laughing emojis.

A second wrote: “#Panorama broke BBC One. Where’s the continuity announcer?” While a third took a video of the error with the caption: “Some quality broadcasting on BBC One tonight.”

Tonight’s Panorama special follows undercover reporter Rory Bibb as he secretly filmed police officers making racist and sexualised comments. The shocking footage showed serving Metropolitan Police officers calling for illegal immigrants suspected of crimes to be shot as well as joking about rape claims.

One sergeant was recorded making crude sexual comments to female colleagues while another shared his racist views about Muslims and immigrants. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley spoke out about the behaviour earlier today, branding it as “disgraceful, totally unacceptable and contrary to the values and standards” of the force.

As a result of the investigation, the Met has suspended eight officers and one staff member.