Footage captures swine that just won’t take no for answer during report on storms

Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it … and in the incongruous setting of a stormy Greece it now seems even escaped pigs fall in love. In what is likely to go down in TV history, a live interview was brought to a dramatic halt on Tuesday when a large, mottled sow decided to display her affection for a male reporter on air.

“Good morning, we have an issue,” squealed Lazos Mantikos, as he appeared with mic in hand to deliver his report on the devastating effects of Monday’s torrential rains in the resort town of Kineta. “Giorgos can you hear me, we have a pig here that has been chasing us since this morning … folks sorry I can’t stand [still] because it’s biting me.”

Kostas Kallergis (@KallergisK) Greek journo pestered by a pig while reporting on the recent floods in #Kinetta #Greece #tv #bloopers #ant1tv #Ant1news pic.twitter.com/vsLBdlWCMB

Within hours, news portals were attributing the extraordinary scenes to the “aggressive flirtation” attempts of the swine.

The incident, captured on ANT1 TV’s Good Morning Greece show, began after Giorgos Papadakis, its veteran anchor, bracing for the serious business of reporting on mudslides and flooded homes, announced: “Now let’s go to Kineta where [people] are counting their wounds. Lazos Mantikos is there.”

Within seconds it became clear that it was Mantikos who was “counting his wounds”. Despite his best efforts, the welly-clad reporter could not escape the attentions of the animal which repeatedly nipped at his legs before finally lunging with a (love) bite that appeared to knock him out of the camera frame.

A consummate professional, Papadakis attempted to cover for the journalist by making light of the matter, despite finding it hard to conceal his amusement.

“Lazos, because it’s a tragic issue and we are counting our wounds in Kineta try and work things out with the female pig,” he counselled before apologising to the audience for the laughter in the studio.

The amorous sow had, he said, clearly wanted to make an impression. “This is about [wanting] that one moment of fame … I have seen male and female pigs who look for a moment of fame.”