Happy Chinese New Year, according to BBC Subtitles it should be an interesting one! :-) pic.twitter.com/Hfdo1UDb6c — Lisbon Lion (@tirnaog09) January 31, 2014

As millions of people around the world celebrate the Chinese New Year, something appears to have been lost in translation at the BBC.

Instead of welcoming in the year of the horse, a subtitle error saw the BBC usher in the ‘year of the whores’.

One eagle-eyed viewer took a screen grab of yesterday’s gaffe before it was picked up on social media.

‘So it’s Chinese New Year, but the BBC subtitles got a bit confused about the year,’ said one.


Another added: ‘Happy Chinese New Year, according to BBC Subtitles it should be an interesting one!’

The year of the horse is generally considered an auspicious time, and business-savvy residents of Hong Kong are hoping for vigorous growth.