Watch the moment Stephen Dixon walks off the GB News Breakfast set after admitting he is “too embarrassed” to continue.
His co-presenter Dawn Neesom was left in hysterics by his antics that followed a segment about the surge of ladybirds in Britain.
Stephen and Dawn were discussing how ladybirds can be a force for good in British gardens as they are natural pest controllers.
While they protect roses, vegetables and houseplants without the need for chemical sprays, Stephen acknowledged swarms of them can get “a bit irritating”.
Dawn said: “You can actually buy ladybirds. I do remember 1976 when they were a complete and utter pain in the bottom.”
A message then appeared on the autocue that Stephen took issue with, but Dawn ploughed on with reading regardless.
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“This is absolute tripe. I can’t believe you’re reading this”, he said.
She continued: “We haven’t been nice about ladybirds this morning, so I would like to say GB News has approached a ladybird for comment, but they have not got back to us.”
Stephen jumped out of his seat, saying “I’m going, I’m too embarrassed”, as Dawn burst into hysterics.
The ladybird swarm has affected seaside resorts, with beachgoers in Weston-Super-Mare describing a “ladybird apocalypse” as the spotted insects covered every available surface. The sudden influx has forced many Britons to seek shelter in their cars and indoors.
Even the Lord’s cricket ground was not spared, with play temporarily halted on Thursday during the test match against India when a swarm of the flying beetles proved too disruptive.
Social media users have documented the extraordinary scenes, with viral TikTok videos showing the insects swarming over prams, umbrellas, benches and even people’s food.
One video showed a woman covered in ladybirds with the caption: “Take this as your sign not to go to the beach today and get swamped by ladybugs.”
The recent heatwave has created ideal conditions for the swarms, with temperatures reaching 34.7°C last Friday.
However, the extreme heat has also begun to kill off vegetation and aphids, leaving ladybirds searching for food elsewhere.