Camera angles can be hugely important when you’re on live TV, with many TV presenters embarrassed by the wrong angle, a mis-timed camera-switch and unfortunate takes.
But one British TV host left his co-stars in hysterics when he was caught in a very compromising position on air – and managed to absolutely own the moment. Popular ITV This Morning star Phillip Schofield was even forced to intervene and call for a “wider angle” as he realised what had happened.
Appearing on super-popular UK daytime talk show This Morning with his co-host Holly Willoughby, the 56-year-old was leading a segment with the TV show’s pet dog on camera. However, rather than panning out to show the dog in the shot, cameras focused on Phil from the waist up.
It meant when he bent down to stroke the pooch, he looked like he was doing something very rude – and it left Holly, as well at ITV’s Loose Women stars, (who were on the line via video link at the time), in fits of laughter.
Seeing the shot in front of him, though, the silver-haired presenter didn’t get flustered. Instead, Phillip joked: “Will you widen that shot so you can actually see what I am doing?” As the camera operatos immediately responded, widening it enough to show the dog sat below him, he added, jokingly, “That’s just unfortunate there, isn’t it.”
At this point, Holly had thrown her head down laughing, while all four of the Loose Women stars were laughing on screen too.
However, taking the opportunity to laugh at himself, Phillip then began enthusiastically rubbing the dog – Digby – behind the ears again, and taking the host’s saucy prompt, the cameras once again zoomed in.
As Phil repeatedly said: “There we go, there we go,” Holly struggled to contain her composure in time for their next take. Phil finally gave his attention back to the Loose Women panel, as he said: “So what have you got for us today, ladies?”
Phil and Holly are known for their funny moments on air, and are regularly seen in hysterical laughter together between takes thanks to a rude gaffe, or funny segment on the show. One of their most popular videos went viral when Holly made a funny noise on air, leaving her gasping for breath as she launched into hysterics at herself, setting her so-star, who was sitting next to her on the couch at the time, off too.
It ended up taking them almost a full three minutes to compose themselves, and even then they needed tissues to wipe their eyes mid-way through the segment.