SHOCK FOR B.B.C.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 107, 22 May 1937, Page 5

SHOCK FOR B.B.C.

- Press Assn.

Announcer's Fall From Grace UN0RTH0D0X REMARKS

( By 'feleprapb-

— Copyritttt.)

(Reeeived 22, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 21. The British Broadcasting Coroporation's description of the fleet illuminations sensationally faded out after t'our minutes, although it was scheduled for 15 minutes. The commentator was Lieutenant-Commander T. Woodroofe, a members of the corporation's outside staff. Lieutenant - Commander Woodroofe began: "The fleet is all lit up — I mean, with fairy lights. When I say 'lit up,' I mean outlined with tiny lights." Then there was a pause, during which inuxmuring was heard. He resumed: "Now they're gone. The whole fie.et 's gone. Two hundred ships were here a moment ago, and now we are left between sea and heaven. The whole fleet 's blottecPout. A few minutes ago it was all lit up by fairy lights, and now the whole darnn — sorry, whole thing has gone. ' ' Here the broadcast enfled abruptly. The eorporation was immediately inundated by telephone inquiries asking why the description had eeased. Lieutenant - Commander Woodroofe, who had broadcast descriptions of the fleet Teview earlier in the day, issued a statement to the News-Chronicle: "I had been taking the strain of the brpad' casting from Spithead throughout the day; I had been broadcasting the whole shOw. To-night, when I went to the Nelson 's foretop to give a description of the illuminations, I was so overcome by the occasion that I literally burst into teaTs and repeated cnyself many times until I found I could say no more. ' f The Daily Mail states it is understood that the Governors of the Broadcasting Corporation are considering the matter to-day. Lieutenant - Commander Woodroofe spoke from H.M.S. Nelson. He joined the corporation as a special commentator two years ago.