“I’m Paula White and you’re lishening to BBC Radio Shtoke.”
What every broadcaster should remember before they head out for a few sneaky lunch-time drinks.
Because it doesn’t take long for drunken on-air mishaps to go viral these days, as the unfortunate Paula White has learned to her cost.
White, a local DJ for central England, has presented the afternoon slot for Radio Stoke for six years and her broadcast last Friday was to be her final show.
But she got carried away by “last day at work syndrome” and had a few drinks before taking to the airwaves. It didn’t take long before listeners cottoned onto the fact that something wasn’t quite right – five minutes in fact.
One listener sent a text asking if she was drunk, to which she replied: “I sound drunk. I’m not drunk. I’ve had a couple of drinks. I’m not drunk. I’m sad.”
And, as if to further prove she wasn’t drunk, she chucked her playlist and told listeners: “Let’s just throw it all out! I don’t get told what songs to … no, I do get told what songs to play. But I don’t get told what songs to play on the last day of my show.”
She then fumbled with her equipment before screeching: “It’s my last day and nothing’s working! Why is nothing working Noooo!”
Which is exactly what a sober person would do.
Thankfully, her bosses intervened and yanked her off air, explaining to listeners: “Paula is not feeling well with it being her last afternoon show and has gone home.”
A BBC spokesman said afterwards: “Paula White was unable to continue on-air on Friday as she was under par.”
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