Hazel Irvine was forced to issue an on-air apology to legendary commentator Dennis Taylor after mistakenly describing snooker star Mark Allen as only the second Northern Irish player to win the Masters title. The gaffe occurred during BBC's coverage of the first round of The Masters on Monday.
Irvine, a longstanding presenter of the BBC's Triple Crown coverage, overlooked Taylor, who also claimed the trophy during his career. After being corrected through her earpiece, she quickly acknowledged her error, saying: 'Mark Allen, the third [Northern Irish] player, I am corrected, to win the Masters. How could I forget about Dennis Taylor? Sorry DT. Apologies.'
Her mistake prompted playful reactions from fellow pundits Stephen Hendry and John Parrott, who were sat alongside her in the studio. Parrott joked: '[Taylor's] rich tea biscuit all over his television! I'm telling you, he's chucked it!' Attempting to make amends, Irvine promised: 'I'll buy you [Taylor] a drink in Sheffield then.'
The presenting team were analysing Allen's clash against two-time winner Mark Williams. Allen, ranked 10th in the world, trailed 2-1 before claiming five consecutive frames to seal a 6-2 victory, securing his place in the quarter-finals. He will face either world No. 1 Judd Trump or Ding Junhui.
Following his win, Allen admitted he had been battling food poisoning all week. 'I was lying in bed all week with food poisoning. I thought to just go out and give it my best,' he said. He also praised Alexandra Palace as 'the best place we play all year' with an atmosphere 'second to none'.
