Possibly the best – or worst – timing for a background incident in live interview history

Poke Staff. Updated November 14th, 2026

Back in 2022, ITN shared a clip from its archives, in which a councillor discussing local road safety got the worst background action possible – and the news team led by the late great Huw Weekes, got the best.

Watch how it played out.

It's Monday again, so here's something funny.

March 1988: ITN reports on the notoriously hazardous A19 road in Teeside. Local councillor Mr Davidson – doing his best impression of the Mayor from Jaws – insists the road is as safe as any other. Guess what happens next… 🚙 ⛔️❗️ pic.twitter.com/ri74eB3mWx

— ITN Archive (@ITNArchive) November 28, 2022

“I will not accept that it’s a highly dangerous road.”

Thankfully, a serious collision was avoided, but the timing couldn’t have been better – or, in fact, worse – if they’d choreographed it.

Tweeters enjoyed the irony.

This is so brilliant. https://t.co/a1YiotDAyW

— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) November 29, 2022

Shouldn't laugh 😃 https://t.co/Ne2tIoGH8h

— Fanny Is Bored with being Gas Lighted (@Angel41527796) November 28, 2022

The cameraman was mentally high fiving at this stroke of luck. https://t.co/PuryPE2TXh

— @iainthomson (@iainthomson) November 28, 2022

A bit like the Tories and DUP trying to explain the benefits of brexit 🥺 https://t.co/6j1mzMwlGn

— pinkmiss (@LynneCampbell5) November 29, 2022

Hahahaha. https://t.co/L17nu0c7jk

— Cordelia 🕷💙😷🐑 (@CordeliaGraun) November 28, 2022

Local councillors mix media appearances and traffic issues at their peril 🫣😉😂 https://t.co/kB4NAW6a9S

— Cllr Jonathan Gray (@cllrgray) November 28, 2022

#offtopic Epic reporting! 😅😅(wonder how much of the scenery was damaged by the Lada) https://t.co/sEbk0hvKB8

— Francisco Cunha – ✈️ Aviation et al (@OnDisasters) November 28, 2022

You couldn’t make it up 😂🤦‍♂️ Watch right to the end… https://t.co/hzsObwYjqT

— Dr David Barton (@davidbartonmus) November 28, 2022

Looking at this old gem from the 70s you can see that even then, it's not the road, it's the muppets that drive on it.

After over 50 yrs of evidence that driving standards aren't adequate enough, we're still blaming everything but the driver. 🤷‍♂️https://t.co/4OSyb6xuMg

— Ride&Enjoy 👀 + 🏍️ = 🙂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@Biking4Pleasure) November 29, 2022

10.

We're going to need a bigger crash barrier!

— Kat the cat sitter (she/her)💜🌈 (@KatDoherty4) November 28, 2022

11.

The true definition of a 'car crash' TV interview 😊

— ĴĨĞĞŶ🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧 (@Outatime7719) November 28, 2022

12.

A great bit of deft and responsive camerawork to capture all the unexpected action.

— Paul Faulkner (@PaulFaulkner2) November 28, 2022

13.

pic.twitter.com/S9LBfvZ9QD

— TBSteve (@TBStevesPix) November 28, 2022

14.

Priceless 😁

— Juanita Fogarty ✝️👑🇺🇦🧶 (@wheatnotincl) November 28, 2022

15.

"well….shit!" pic.twitter.com/nMVGcgNM70

— DukeofDiscussion (@DukeofDiscussi1) November 29, 2022

Would it have happened if the film crew hadn’t been there?

I wonder what it was about the random bunch of people and a film crew in the central reservation that could have distracted those drivers?? 🤷🏼‍♂️. . . 🙄

— Joe Public (@Joeysocial1) November 28, 2022

Source ITN Archive Image Screengrab