World reacts to gaffe during Australian coverage of Queen’s funeral

An awkward gaffe by Channel 9 during the Queen’s funeral gained worldwide attention, with US comedian Stephen Colbert the latest to weigh in.

US comedian Stephen Colbert is the latest international figure to mock Nine’s awkward coverage of the Queen’s funeral.

Veteran Australian news anchors Peter Overton and Tracy Grimshaw were both unable to recognise the UK’s new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, as she emerged from a car to attend the funeral.

“So, this is a significant motorcade, we are being told now. Come with us as we try and identify who is getting out of the car. This is under police escort of course. I would suggest this might be royalty, Tracy,” said Overton.

But as Ms Truss emerged, the pair were stumped: “Hard to identify. Maybe minor royals, members of the … I can’t identify them at this point.”

The embarrassing blunder quickly made international headlines, with The Telegraph describing it as a “toe-curling moment”.

Peter Overton outside Buckingham Palace.

Now Colbert, 58, has weighed into the gaffe on his popular CBS show, The Late Show.

“Liz Truss replaced Boris Johnson a couple weeks ago, but based on this footage of Truss arriving at Westminster Abbey for the funeral, Australian TV did not get the memo,” Colbert said before rolling the clip, in which Overton eventually is heard saying: “I’m told that was Liz Truss the new Prime Minister in the distance, she could see hopping out of the car. Thank you very much for that information.”

New Prime Minister, who dis? pic.twitter.com/5A1L6nnP39

— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) September 21, 2022

Breaking into fits of laughter, Colbert added: “Wow, she’s the leader of Great Britain and no one recognises her.

“I can’t wait for the next session of parliament. ‘Eveyrone pray rise and be up standing for the honourable, uhhh ... Chief. Madame big guy. Give it up for the lady in the flat hat.’”

British Prime Minister Liz Truss and husband Hugh O'Leary. Picture: Geoff Pugh/WPA/Getty Images

It comes after Overton hit back over the awkward mistake.

On social media on Tuesday, Overton spoke about what was happening in the studio at the time.

“We were relying on a video feed for live stream of arrivals,” he said. “At times the video would freeze so we’d turn around to try to catch a glimpse. I do know what British PM, Liz Truss looks like. The back of her hat, not so much!”

Speaking to Chris O’Keefe live on 2GB, Overton further addressed the moment.

“What happened when Liz Truss got out of the car?” O’Keefe asked Overton on radio Tuesday afternoon.

“I’ve upset a couple of my Pommy cousins,” Overton joked.

“We were told there was another motorcade arriving, and lost our monitor with the broadcast feed.”

He explained the duo were situated on media platforms without about 20-30 other international journalists, about 50 metres from the arrivals happening at Westminster Abbey.

“With our monitor frozen, we turned around and tried to see who was getting out of the car. We kept looking back to the monitor and couldn’t see,” he said.

“It is very hard to recognise someone from the back of their hat, from 50 metres.

So there’s some context for it.”

Nonetheless, he said the “long long” broadcast was a “career highlight”.

Social media users jumped on the gaffe, with some finding the mistake hilarious while others mocked the TV presenters.

Stay up to date with the latest news on the British Royals with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >

Bloody cheek! These Australian presenters haven't a clue who I am. pic.twitter.com/wQPjqCSI83

— Parody Prime Minister (@Parody_PM) September 19, 2022

Happened to be passing by the living room in my house where my family are watching the Queen’s funeral.

Tracy Grimshaw: …and we’re not sure who this is who has arrived. Unfortunately we can’t identify everyone, they look like local dignitaries.”

It was Liz Truss.

I howled.

— Zazrit: Pandemic Edition (WEAR A MASK) (@zazrit) September 19, 2022

“I mean, I even know what Liz Truss looks like at this point, but anyway, I’m sure it’s been busy in Australia,” US fiction writer Alexander Chee wrote on Twitter.

One person wrote: “I’m not sure this is the mic drop take down of Liz Truss people are sharing it as. Surely all it shows is that the Australian presenters were poorly prepped for commentating on the funeral.”

Another person claimed the mistake showed the “half-arsed nature” of the Australian media.

“I get everyone dunking on the empty dress that is Liz Truss for being unknown. But kinda shows up the parochial and half arsed nature of Australian media,” they said.

“If the BBC failed to identify the Prime Minister of any nation it would be embarrassing unprofessionalism.”

Others suggested that Overton and Grimshaw not being able to recognise the Prime Minister reflected poorly on the UK’s world standing.

“Watching the video of the Australian TV channels not having a clue who #LizTruss is hilarious; but also tells us exactly how much of a joke our government has become in the past six years. Awful PM from second one,” one person said.

Watching the video of the Australian TV channels not having a clue who #LizTruss is hilarious; but also tells us exactly how much of a joke our government has become in the past six years. Awful PM from second one. #QueenElizabethII#QueensFuneral

— Nicholas Hewitt (@NickHouseMD) September 19, 2022

This says a lot about the UK's standing on the world stage post-Brexit.

'Maybe a minor royal?': Australian presenters struggle to identify Liz Truss – video https://t.co/y8DkpwacTW

— Dr Ronan Lee (@Ronan_Lee) September 19, 2022

A Channel 9 spokesperson told news.com.au that Grimshaw and Overton had trouble identifying guests from their elevated position during the funeral proceedings.

“From their elevated position during the broadcast, Peter Overton and Tracy Grimshaw were unable to positively identify guests until they were seen on the broadcast monitor,” the media outlet said.

“We feel enormously proud of the efforts of the entire Channel 9 broadcast team in covering this momentous occasion.”

After the gaffe, Overton and Grimshaw crossed to Nine co-stars Karl Stefanovic, Ally Langdon and UK royal expert Dickie Arbiter.

They conceded that their British guest might be better placed to spot some of the famous faces arriving.

“Karl and Ally, and Dickie, Dickie particularly, you’ll be spotting these faces and recognising them better than us, I think,” Overton said.

Ms Truss was, of course, famously the last world leader photographed with the Queen on what was to be the monarch’s final official duty, just 48 hours before her death.

The Queen formally appointed Ms Truss as the new Prime Minister with a special audience at Balmoral.

The meeting on September 6 was the first time the Queen has held the event outside of London or Windsor.

She had been moved to Balmoral in her final months amid concerns for her mobility.

– With Nick Bond