Charlie Pickering apologises for ABC New Year countdown ‘kill a police officer’ autocue blunder
The host of the ABC’s new year fireworks show Charlie Pickering has apologised for telling viewers that New Year’s midnight countdown was “the only time it’s okay to kill a police officer”.
The high profile blunder came from Pickering in the final seconds of the countdown, and appeared to be either a slip of the tongue or a misreading of his autocue. He rapidly corrected himself to “kiss a police officer”.
Pickering, with co-host Zan Rowe, quickly corrected his “kill a police officer” slip
However, the pre-fireworks slip was quickly shared on social media.
@charliepick
Charlie Pickering, you are a monumental FUCKWIT.#WhatAStupidThingToSay#theirabc #NYEABC pic.twitter.com/MoZJ9gVM2F— No Disclaimer (@disloik) December 31, 2017
Within a couple of hours of the broadcast, Pickering tweeted an apology, telling viewers: “Apologies for the slip of the tongue at the end.”
Thanks to everyone for watching #NYEABC tonight. Apologies for the slip of the tongue at the end. And a big shout out to all of the police keeping us safe tonight.
— Charlie Pickering (@charliepick) December 31, 2017
The mistake came after what had been a slicker New Year’s Eve broadcast than the ABC had managed in recent years.
The 2014 countdown – the first after the ABC took on duties from Nine – was slated for a “self indulgent” presentation style from comedian Lawrence Mooney.
Then 2015’s broadcast was labelled “patronising, amateurish, tedious and intermittently baffling” with host Julia Zemiro caught with a live microphone at the end of the broadcast saying “Oh thank God”.
And 2017’s countdown saw hosts Jeremy Fernandez and Ella Hooper criticised for apparently failing to notice that it was turning midnight.
The 2018 countdown had focused almost entirely on musical acts with higher production levels than previous years.
Meanwhile, not everyone spotted the mistake. The Sydney Morning Herald’s review by Neil McMahon declared it “a near-flawless show that delighted viewers, involved precisely zero cock-ups or embarrassments and helped viewers put the happy back into Happy New Year.”
Shocking, every policeman out there is someone’s daughter son father or mother and deserve to go home to their family. C. Pickering I will not watch you again.
What a very unfunny little man you are. Totally uncalled for comment towards people who put their lives on the line every day for the likes of you.
You are a complete tool.they are out there putting their lives on the line to protect fuckwits like you.
Thank god your off the Project !!!
Typical of the left wing anti Police rubbish that the ABC puts out and all this is paid by us the taxpayers. Sack him and sell the ABC!
I bet they are the first ones you call if you had problems at your house. Totally uncalled for – not funny at all.
I’m not a Pickering fan at all, but this was clearly a mis read of the autocue. Albeit a horrendous one.
We all make mistakes and I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt here
I thought this was a hilarious yet unintentional slip of the tongue.
You muppets perhaps need to lay down this New Year’s Day.
For god’s sake people, don’t get you moral knickers of outrage in a twist! It was a slip of the tongue! Be outraged at some real issues of the year or shut up.
For an audience who should have a basic understanding of the pressures of live media and psychology (ie, human error) I’m finding these complaints hard to believe. Are people really offended by this, or are they bots for generating engagement?
Quite clearly a slip up. The amount of ignorance by some commenting here, my goodness. Would be outraged to win a million bucks you lot.
Totally intentional.The mockery and disrespect of the army and police is part and parcel of left wing posers like pickering,minchin,the chasers etc,the like of whom will be first to squeal and run when things get serious.
Freudian slip of the tongue.
My boyfriend is a copper who has almost died in the line of duty. Neither of us found this funny, intentional or not.
And if you’re one of the lucky ones – like me – it’s *always* ok to kiss a police officer… 😉
Clearly Allan your looking for any avenue to push your political anti left rant
It was clearly a mistake …..unless you believe in conspiracy theories the ABC wants chaos ……..which is exactly what the ABC is not about.
Muppets
Are you complainers serious? This was hardly intentional. You try and keep verbally on cue , fronting a Live TV programme and not make a single mistake for 3 hours .
Must be great being so perfect in your own working life .
Can’t you at least entertain the idea that he would have been pretty tired by then, and surrounded by a lot of sound and visual distractions, and this was simply a slip of the tongue? I’ve quite often made them myself while giving public talks (some of them embarrassing such as orgasm instead of organism), my mind momentarily on other matters such as what I’m to say next. It’s regrettably easy to do.
Seriously people… Calm down. It was clearly a slip of the tongue.
An unfortunate one, granted, but an innocent mistake. I’m sure you – like I – have made plenty of mistakes in life; let’s look toward forgiveness and understanding rather than chastisement and outrage.
Hey all you ‘leftie’ bashing outraged commenters at a clear slip of the tongue … it’s 2018 this year, not 1618 or 1718 and witch burning is now soooo passe.
My niece is a police officer.I have nothing but the greatest respect for them.Working tirelessly for us all.Sure every profession has people who aren’t good representatives and I think we witnessed one of them who should not be a host for any show again.Shame on you Mr Pickering!
Pickering should take it as a compliment that “Ace pace”, “eden”, “Allan”, Andy Haines and Elaine Lambert feel he is such a media professional that they can’t possibly comprehend he made a mistake. That’s high praise.
It’s this kind of lefty-liberal over-sensitivity and political correctness that has given rise to people like Trump and Hanson.
No it isn’t “clearly a mistake”. Only to the gullible. Pickering is a very experienced presenter and live comedian. I do NOT believe this was a mistake at all. I believe it was a scripted joke. I used to be a great advocate and defender of the ABC, but over recent years have gotten sick of the political agenda they constantly push.
C’mon Australia! Grow up!! Such silly reaction to a slip of the tongue. Pickering is a Comedien after all. BTW I vowed to never call a policeman seeing Dutton was one of them!!
I can’t believe how many people are angry about this. Obviously it was a mistake, why on Earth would Charlie have actually meant what he said? Put away the pitchforks and fire torches and calm the F### DOWN!
I’m a Police Officer and I was on duty on New year’s Eve away from my family………when I saw the footage the next day, I actually found it quite funny……it was obviously a slip of the tongue and watching poor Charlie back track was mildly amusing……..there was no offence intended, give the bloke a break