BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt was left red-faced after accidentally mixing up the names of weatherman Matt Taylor and actor Ralf Little during Friday's episode.
The blunder occurred as the show prepared to interview Death In Paradise star Ralf Little about his new lead role in a touring production of John le Carré's The Spy Who Came In from the Cold. Just before the interview, Matt Taylor had presented the weather forecast live from Aintree Racecourse for Ladies Day.
As the segment transitioned, Stayt said, “Ralf, thank you very much,” before realising his mistake. He quickly corrected himself: “I said ‘Ralf thank you very much’ how confusing Matt - I’ll explain. Matt, thank you very much.” The host explained the mix-up, adding, “The reason I said thank you, Ralf, to Matt is because Ralf is here.”
Ralf Little joined in the apology, saying, “Sorry about that, Matt.” Co-host Naga Munchetty admitted the situation was confusing, noting it was unusual to have both a guest in the studio and Matt reporting from a remote location. Little joked, “It’s confused everyone. It confuses me. We’re all confused.”
The conversation then turned to Little's new role as Alec Leamas in the stage adaptation of John le Carré's classic spy novel. The production, which kicked off on 12 March at Curve, Leicester, will visit 21 venues across the UK. It marks the first time one of le Carré's novels has been adapted for the stage, with a script by David Eldridge and direction by Jeremy Herrin.
