BBC apologises for showing old Remembrance Day footage of Boris Johnson laying wreath

The BBC has been forced to issue an apology after using a Remembrance Day video clip of Boris Johnson from three years ago.

The national broadcaster ran the out-of-date clip of Mr Johnson laying a wreath in 2016 during the flagship BBC Breakfast show that aired this morning.

In a statement, the BBC said the mistake had been a production error.

"This was a production mistake and we apologise for the error," the corporation said.

The error led some members of the public to question the BBC's impartiality on social media.

His handwritten message, pinned to the top of his wreath, said: "To the immortal memory of those who laid down their lives for us all."

Boris Johnson (left) laying a wreath at Sunday's Remembrance Day service in London and (right) the old footage shown by the BBC from 2016

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also came under criticism from some who felt he did not bow deeply enough.

BBC Breakfast editor Richard Frediani said the 2016 footage from the archive had been restored in the system early yesterday morning to run a preview of the Remembrance Sunday service.