This plague doctor in the background was an oddly welcome distraction from the news

The news took an unexpected turn recently, during a broadcast about the coronavirus pandemic by the BBC’s Helena Wilkinson, when someone wandered into shot wearing the mask of a plague doctor.

‘You want me to do a live news broadcast from Leicester Square?’

‘Yeah it’ll be fine, everyone is at home’

‘Oh okay, if you’re sure’ pic.twitter.com/nJAaEXGOpP

— Chris Smith (@chrissssmith) March 20, 2020

It seemed depressingly apt, but people still enjoyed the distraction.

1.

Bravo the guy dressed up as a plague doctor during tonight's news in Leicester Square 😅 #CoronaCrisis pic.twitter.com/zMgih7yF0D

— 🎮🍒Nikki🍒 🎮 (@GlamandGeeky) March 20, 2020

2.

THERE'S A PLAGUE DOCTOR CREEPING AROUND IN LEICESTER SQUARE. pic.twitter.com/KeJ0ngW2sG

— Lotty Earns (@lottyburns) March 20, 2020

3.

Already find this less terrifying than videos of people sitting near each other in a pub pic.twitter.com/ZRC75uyg37

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) March 20, 2020

4.

Just saw the plague doctor in Leicester Square on the news lmao

Brits don't do surgical face masks we just go straight to plague doctor no biggie

vid courtesy of my friend pic.twitter.com/WCFUaBBKti

— 🇭🇰 SAFE 4 SKEL AGENDA 🇭🇰 (@skeletate) March 20, 2020

5.

"its deserted in London"

…. and like magic, a bloke with a plague mask wanders across the live-shot.

Unbelievable scenes. pic.twitter.com/RA3bFkjORK

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) March 20, 2020

6.

The news has been the most depressing of things. This is golden. https://t.co/ptq6yw9kwe

— Dr Emily Garside (@EmiGarside) March 20, 2020

7.

The art of taking the piss will be the very last thing this country will lose, makes one proud to be British https://t.co/ZlsrLazBrP

— Think Defence (@thinkdefence) March 20, 2020

8.

Some people have been waiting their entire lives for this. https://t.co/4WHin53m6V

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) March 20, 2020

It caused historian Dr Phil Weir to suggest this link.

"And now we go live to @BBCHelena who is currently just outside the 17th Century…"😂 https://t.co/7LSl9pEM2g

— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) March 20, 2020

Which makes perfect sense, because …

Rees-Mogg makes an impromtu appearance wearing his coronavirus mask 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/IKFyBNPhNV

— Sue Hyams (@Wkdsusie) March 20, 2020

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This BBC News clip went viral because something very weird happens in the background

Source Chris Smith Image BBC News