BBC man thrown out of coronation rehearsals after ‘Charles spotted him trying to film secret parts of ceremony’
A BBC man was thrown out of Coronation rehearsals amid fears that he was trying to film the secret parts of the ceremony.
He was holding his mobile phone and King Charles spotted him out of the corner of his eye during the practice.
According to top-level sources, Charles told officials: “He’s not filming my Coronation.”
Security stepped in and escorted the veteran cameraman out of Westminster Abbey.
The senior journalist had left his officially assigned post near the entrance and was seen trying to observe the sacred anointing run-through, senior sources said.
He had his mobile phone out and was lurking near the screens.
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Heavies intervened and took the BBC staffer off the premises on Friday morning in front of bewildered dignitaries.
The on-site BBC boss tore up the cameraman’s filming accreditation on the steps of the Abbey.
He was immediately suspended and banned from working for the Beeb over the Coronation weekend.
Insiders said the man’s “pattern of behaviour” had alarmed witnesses.
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And it culminated in him trying to take unauthorised footage of the King on his phone.
A source told The Sun: “This was a humiliation for the BBC and left everyone involved in deep shock.
“Charles spotted the cameraman trying to film him during the run-through for the most sensitive part of the ceremony.
"The BBC guy was looking shifty as he lurked in view of the screens holding his mobile phone.
“He had no business being there whatsoever. He had an accredited spot in the Abbey.
“It is highly irregular for any journalist to leave their set position in such circumstances.
"And it’s deeply concerning to think he would be trying to film precious moments deliberately hidden from public view.”
The rehearsal included walking through the central act of the religious ceremony, when the King was anointed with holy oil.
It was always going to be hidden from those watching in the Abbey and from TV viewers at home.
Another source said: “It is a horrendous suggestion that the King’s privacy would be invaded in this way.
“The rehearsal was a stressful, anxious time for everyone concerned. The BBC senior cameraman was a disgrace and rightly given his marching orders.”
The revelation came as media outlets blasted the BBC for its “anti-competitive” decision to restrict access to Coronation coverage. It was said to have backed down before it started.
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Buckingham Palace last night chose not to comment on the man evicted from the Abbey.
The BBC said it could not comment on individual employees.