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There are many dangers as a journalist in the Middle East.

That includes getting high when reporting next to a pile of burning drugs.

BBC journalist Quentin Sommerville found that out while reporting at some point over the last year and apparently getting high. Either that or he was just corpsing at the most inconvenient moment.

He starts by saying: ‘Burning behind me is eight and a half tonnes of heroin, opium, hashish and other narcotics.’


But then when he breathes in to say his next sentence he is unable to speak, simply letting out a small giggle.

Dear tweeps, it's been a year of bullets & bloodshed.You've earned a xmas laugh, at my expense http://t.co/USthL7INTI pic.twitter.com/3e5mHDGZTD — Quentin Sommerville (@sommervillebbc) December 22, 2014

The cameraman starts laughing too before they go for a second take.



But the next time round it’s even worse and he strains to get ‘burning behind me…’ out before again starting to laugh.

On a third attempt his lips form as though he is about to make a ‘B’ sound, but it’s too much and he breaks down again.

He posted the footage on YouTube today as a Christmas present to his followers.

Quentin Sommerville gets the giggles while reporting next to a pile of burning drugs (Picture: Youtube/Quentin Sommerville)