‘Sounded like he was about to flog me some Cillit Bang, not relay info on a tragedy’: Viewers slam ITV News’ Tom Bradby for ‘flippant and frankly bizarre’ coverage of Genoa bridge disaster
- ITV News at Ten presenter Tom Bradby sparks outrage with ‘insensitive’ report
- Host has recently returned to screens after taking four months off for insomnia
- He asked viewers if it crossed their mind a motorway bridge might collapse
An ITV news reader has been branded insensitive for his introduction to the Genoa bridge disaster.
At least 35 people died when the Morandi Bridge collapsed during a storm yesterday, with children as young as eight named among the fatalities.
News at Ten presenter Tom Bradby raised eyebrows when he opened his news report by asking viewers if they had ever feared a motorway bridge might collapse beneath them.
The 51-year-old host, who has recently returned to work after being on sick leave for four months with insomnia, said: ‘How often have all of us driven over a motorway bridge? Has it ever crossed your mind that it might actually fall down beneath you?
‘Well today in Genoa, one did with devastating consequences.’
Bizarre: Tom Bradby opened his news report by asking viewers whether they had ever feared a motorway bridge might collapse beneath them (Above, Bradby presenting the General Election 2015)
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Family of three – including a seven-year-old boy -…
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The bizarre introduction prompted outrage among viewers with scores taking to social media to criticise the journalist for his ‘light-hearted’ and ‘pun-heavy’ tone.
One person even likened the former royal correspondent’s stance as that of a salesman, writing: ‘What on earth have I just watched? Sounded like he was about to flog me some Cillit Bang, not relay info on a tragedy.’
And another wrote: ‘Is it me or is Tom Bradby’s delivery on @itvnews totally out of sync with the headlines he’s reading out!
‘Absolutely ridiculous tone for the Genoa tragedy.’
Another added: ‘@itn was it just me or was the demeanour of @tombradby a bit light hearted when opening the news with the Genoa bridge disaster tonight?’
While posting video of Bradby’s intro, one user wrote: ‘In case you missed it, here’s how @tombradby introduced the Italian bridge disaster in which dozens were killed. Dumbfounded.’
One said: ‘#tombradby what kind of intro to the Italian disaster was that! Absolutely shocking and heartless journalism.. if not your words then the script writer needs a new job!’
Another wrote: ‘The news is not the place for a such a flippant ,smug attitude!’
One Twitter user posted: ‘Dreadful news introduction from @tombradby on ITV News tonight regarding #Genoa bridge disaster.
‘People have died including children so odd to have such an upbeat, pun-heavy introduction.’
The head of the local ambulance service reportedly said there were ‘dozens of dead’ following the tragedy in Genoa at 11.30am local time.
And within two hours of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge there were already at least 35 confirmed deaths with more seriously injured.
The governor of the local region Giovanni Toti this afternoon that said he expected the death toll to ‘grow significantly.’
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