Bill Turnbull in C-word slip-up on BBC Breakfast

Turnbull made the gaffe whilst reading out an email from a viewer, which was meant to read “He was meant to say: ‘I regularly speak to clients about illness and pass the knowledge onto other clients as well”.

Despite falling foul of a live TV presenter’s worst nightmare, he was the consummate professional and remained composed for the remainder of the segment.

Turnbull isn’t the first BBC presenter in recent memory to drop a “c-bomb” live on air.

Back in 2010, the Today programme’s Jim Naughtie mispronounced the surname of then Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, before Andrew Marr compounded the error by repeating it an hour later on his show.

Naughtie made the slip-up first, and then Marr followed suit.

He said: ‘Sometimes things happen in live broadcasting that you deeply regret.

The BBC however issued a quick apology: “Bill unintentionally stumbled over his words and we apologise if any offence was caused”.

“Norman Smith and John Inverdale have already accidentally let slip a naughty word this year and Bill has now completed the hat trick”, said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly. I was laughing as much as u Jim or shld I say Dr Spooner.’.

The BBC has been contacted for comment.