BBC Breakfast viewers were left completely distracted from an interview with government Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Thursday, as they noticed some baffling details in the background of his shot.
The MP appeared via video link to chat to Jon Kay and Naga Munchetty on the Breakfast sofa about new Covid testing procedures when travelling, with PCR tests being replaced by lateral flows.
But in the backdrop of his shot, a few details proved rather more interesting to some viewers.
Among them was what looked to be a ‘framed’ photograph of Mr Shapps himself, on a blue placard with his name in white text beside it, which some fans suggested could be an “album cover” for his inaugural record.
Elsewhere, fans became distracted with an open red box on his desk, along with what looked to be a printer stowed under the desk.
(Image: BBC)
Taking to Twitter, one baffled fan wrote: “Whenever Grant Shapps appears on @BBCBreakfast my eyes are immediately drawn to the pile of sh*** under his desk.”
As another followed up: “Does Grant Shapps have an album cover of his own eponymous record behind him on his bookshelves on @BBCBreakfast?”
“The ‘Grant Shapps’ has his lunchbox and Alien communication devices on show this morning!” someone else chimed in.
(Image: BBC)
Picking up on the politician’s red box, a fourth viewer penned: “Not sure if Grant Shapps is on #BBCBreakfast this morning or Deal or No Deal.”
“The box contains nothing!” someone else wrote, as another social media user echoed: “That red box is still empty. Where is the other one?”
However, the photograph, at least, seems to have a rational explanation – as it’s likely one of Shapp’s campaign flyers, kept on his bookshelf for safe-keeping.
(Image: BBC)
The interviewee faced a grilling from Naga, as she wondered how Covid variants of concern would be picked up if not as many people are taking PCR tests.
He said: “I think we have to get away from the idea that in the UK we’re all safe, that it’s somehow a safe haven, but the rest of the world is dangerous out there.
“That’s not the case – Omicron is everywhere, we have very large numbers of Omicron cases here and there are very large numbers elsewhere. We are an international country – people need to be able to travel.”
But this led to even more confusion from viewers, as one tweeted: “Grant Shapps actually just said ‘we need to get away from this idea that the UK is a safe haven and the rest of the world is infectious’. Who the f*** EVER said that?
“Despite their spurious claims, infection rates are the only thing we lead the world in!”
Someone else joked: “I think ‘Plague Island’ has had a bit more airing than ‘Safe Haven’. Maybe Grant Shapps lives in a made up world?”
BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
