A champion British boxer was forced to reassure his family and friends that he is still ‘alive and well’ after the BBC mistakenly included his picture in a roll call of people killed by a coronavirus.
Rhys McCole’s photograph had been included in a montage of scots who have recently passed away from Covid-19 complications.
He took to social media hours later to state that he is alive, after the broadcaster falsely reported on his death.
McCole, from Greenock wrote on Twitter: ‘Thanks to everyone for their messages. Despite @BBCScotlandNews reporting and putting a picture of me on television saying that I have died of Covid-19 I am actually ALIVE and well.
‘My thoughts go to all those that have lost loved ones.’
Howard Simpson, News Editor and Editor of Newsgathering at BBC Scotland, later issued an apology to Mr. McCole for the error, insisting it was a ‘genuine production mistake.’
In an email posted to Twitter by the boxer, he said: ‘I wanted to email you to apologise for an error in our output.
‘As you are acutely aware, we included a picture of you in a graphic last night in our report on Covid-19. I’m afraid this was a genuine production mistake – and as soon as it was noticed we replaced it.
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