Radio 4 Today Programme presenter James Naughtie turned the air blue with a slip of the tongue this morning, when introducing Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
And to make matters worse, fellow presenter Andrew Marr then repeated the c-word little over an hour later.
Naughtie's blooper – available to hear again on the [link=http://radiofail.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/radio-4-naughty-naughtie/]Radio Fail website[/link] – saw him proceed to have what appeared to be across between a coughing fit and a fit of giggles while introducing the 8am news.
He later apologised for the slip up, referring to himself as Dr Spooner – the man famous for inappropriately switching letters between words to create 'Spoonerisms'.
Naughtie said: "Sometimes things happen in live broadcasting that you deeply regret. I hope that all those who were offended by what they heard realise it was completely unintentional."
On Twitter, Jeremy Hunt wrote: "They say prepare for anything before going on Today but that took the biscuit… I was laughing as much as u Jim or shld I say Dr Spooner."
Then during Radio 4's Start The Week a discussion on philosophy turned to the use of Freudian slips and presenter Andrew Marr told his guests he would not repeat Naughtie's earlier remarks but then did just that while trying to say "Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary", following it up with: "I must apologise for saying it again but it's just very hard to talk about it without saying it."
Some of the reaction on Twitter's included [link=http://radiofail.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/another-nicky-campbell-c-word-fail/]serial c-word blooperer[/link] Nicky Campbell telling his followers: "Jim Naughtie called Jeremy Hunt Jeramy C**** in a slip of the tongue a few mins ago. How can anyone say that on the radio! It's a disgrace," before adding: "seriously – poor Jim [Naughtie]. When I uttered the c world inadvertently on Five Live Breakfast my blood ran cold. horrible feeling at time."
Another breakfast presenter showing sympathy was Absolute's Christian O'Connell: "My heart goesout to James Naughtie, fellow breakfast show man tearing it up on R4 dropping 'c' bombs."