Giant gull descends on Australian news broadcast; hilarity ensues

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We feel fortunate to be involved in news reporting behind the camera rather than in front of it -- and we’ve never felt more fortunate about that fact than we did when we saw this video, taken from a recent Australian news broadcast.

The news station, Channel Nine, employs a video camera to broadcast a live view of Melbourne, which is displayed behind anchor Peter Hitchener. Unfortunately for Hitchener, this particular broadcast included a surprise in the form of a (presumably regular-sized) gull that loomed large because of its proximity to the remote camera. Even more unfortunately for Hitchener, the gull chose to make its entrance as the anchor was reporting on an unsettling news story about organized crime during which it would have been inappropriate to crack up.

‘I was reading away and it was a serious story, and I suddenly thought ‘Oh my gosh, that seagull’s back again’, because we had a bit of a problem last night,’ the U.K.’s Telegraph quoted Hitchener as saying. (He then explained that during the media-hungry bird’s previous appearance, it ‘started pecking at the camera and it had the beadiest huge eyes you’ve ever seen in your life,’ but left shortly before the broadcast started.)

No word on whether the citizens of Melbourne panicked at the sight of the seemingly-giant gull on screen, fearing that a massive carnivorous bird had descended on the city hungry for blood.

-- Lindsay Barnett

Video: itnnews via YouTube