The BBC has hit back after viewers claimed it had doctored footage showing Boris Johnson being ignored by world leaders at Nato.
The Prime Minister was spotted looking flushed last week after he was seemingly ‘snubbed’ at a crucial meeting about Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A video showed world leaders greeting each other at the start of the Nato summit, while Mr Johnson lingered around awkwardly with his hands in his pockets.
BBC journalist Sarah Smith reported on the events of summit with BBC News airing the footage during its broadcast on March 24.
But some viewers were quick to complain to the corporation, claiming that the clip was ‘misleading and biased against’ Mr Johnson.
‘Bang on cue BBC news at 6pm show a small clip of Boris “looking isolated” says Sarah Smith, at the Nato summit,’ one fumed. ‘Shameful dig confected from an edited clip of a longer video which shows he was anything but isolated.’
Another raged: ‘Hey @BBCNews – can you please be accurate in your reporting of Boris Johnson at The Nato summit today? I’m watching 6pm news live and Sarah Smith has just reported Boris ‘seeming somewhat isolated” with the requisite edited clip. This was completely untrue. Fix it please!!!!’
‘Why did you deliberately (and falsely) edit your piece on @BBCNews to imply that #BorisJohnson was isolated at the #Nato summit?’ a third slammed.
‘I used to respect your journalism. Not now. You’ve fallen well below your previous standards. Shame on you.’
The BBC, however, has rubbished claims that its clip had been in any way edited.
‘Sarah Smith’s reports on the NATO Summit covered the main developments of the day, showing footage of both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Joe Biden’s speeches and reflecting decisions made by the alliance,’ a statement read.
‘We don’t believe that Sarah’s reports gave a misleading view of the events of that day. While the leaders gathering for a photograph was one of several short clips shown of the Summit, we strongly reject any claims that the footage was doctored or misleadingly edited.’
On Thursday, March 24, the world leaders posed for a so-called ‘family photo’.
French president Emmanuel Macron was seen cheerfully chatting with US leader Joe Biden – and ignoring Mr Johnson.
People were quick to make jabs at the Tory leader on Twitter, with some dubbing the song ‘All by myself’ and the ‘Curb your enthusiasm’ soundtrack over the clip.
Nato, G7 and European Union leaders gathered in Brussels to draw up plans to ramp up pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin, as the invasion enters a second month. It came after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called for worldwide protests against the Kremlin’s regime.
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