Simon McCoy shows off the latest must-have gadget for BBC newsreaders: a stack of photocopier paper that he mistook for an IPAD

The 51-year-old presenter was doing a piece to camera on 'drunk tanks'

The BBC later said that he had picked up the paper roll by mistake

He has previously been seen briefly resting his head on the desk



Tablet computers and iPads have become something of a regular prop held by newsreaders and television presenters while they talk to camera.

But BBC News presenter Simon McCoy left viewers baffled when he introduced a feature about 'drunk tanks' by holding something slightly less technical.

The 51-year-old broadcaster had intended to pick up his trusted iPad when the cameras prepared to roll in the BBC studios - but instead grabbed a pack of photocopier paper.



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Baffling: Viewers spotted that BBC News presenter Simon McCoy had picked up a pack of paper as a prop instead of an iPad by mistake Error: The BBC later admitted that Mr McCoy had picked up the paper by mistake

Viewers saw McCoy holding the packet in a full-length shot as he hosted the item live on the rollling BBC News channel without any explanation.

But the BBC later said he had picked it up by mistake.

Although he realised his error, McCoy didn't have time to swap his paper for the expensive gadget and instead 'went with it'.

A spokeswoman for BBC News explained: 'This morning as Simon McCoy was preparing to introduce this story, instead of picking up his tablet to hold as he went to air, he mistakenly picked up a ream of paper that was sitting next to it.



'In the rush of live news, he didn’t have an opportunity to swap the items, so simply went with it.'

In the past the presenter has been seen briefly resting his head on the desk when cameras cut to hi m.

Improvising: A BBC spokesman said that Mr McCoy didn't have time to swap the props around following his mistake and just 'went with it'

Form: The presenter has previously been seen resting his head on the desk when cameras cut to him during a bulletin

The camera had cut away for the local news to be read, but when it returned Mr McCoy was seen with his head resting on his folded arms on the desk.



He suddenly sat bolt upright and looked sheepish as he tried to regain his composure beside co-presenter Martine Croxall.



Following a number of mocking messages from Twitter followers, McCoy eventually tweeted: 'I was not asleep!'



He added: 'It was a long desk head-banging that wasn't meant to be picked up in the BBC1 opt!!'



But his co-presenter weighed in and jokingly told her own followers: 'Intravenous caffeine now being administered to @simonmccoy.’