Moment hiccupping Sky News presenter struggles through bulletin

Moment hiccupping Sky News presenter struggles through bulletin
Source: Daily Mail Online

A Sky News presenter struggled through her bulletin and fought to maintain composure during Thursday's 4pm bulletin.

Jayne Secker, 53, returned to our screens on the popular channel to share the latest news and headlines with viewers.

The broadcaster hosts Sky News Today every Monday to Thursday between 1pm and 5pm.

As soon as the clock hit 4pm on Thursday, Jayne told those watching at home: 'The wait is over! After more than half a century astronauts are finally on their way back [hiccup] to the moon!'

The journalist then paused for a brief moment and carried on like a true professional, but it did sound as if she wanted to let a little giggle out.

Jayne continued: 'Artemis II are currently orbiting the Earth, tonight their rocket is due to change direction and head towards its destination.'

Sky News presenter Jayne Secker struggled through her bulletin and fought to maintain composure during Thursday's 4pm bulletin.

The broadcaster, 53, returned to our screens on the popular channel to share the latest news and headlines with viewers.

She then had another long pause and continued: 'Back down on the ground the launch was watched by thousands some of whom had travelled half way across [hiccup] the world!'

Sarah, who is the daughter of BBC Radio Newcastle broadcaster Kathy Secker, joined the Sky News Today team in 2014.

She previously presented the show alongside Colin Brazier.

But she joined Sky all the way back in 2002 and was a foreign correspondent at the start of her career.

Back in January 2024 Jayne was slammed for telling a 13-year-old boy who became the first person in history to beat the game Tetris to 'go outside and get some fresh air'.

Jayne, who in recent days has waxed lyrical about teenage sensation Luke Littler's run to the World Darts Championship final, was accused of being 'small-minded' over her remarks to gamer Willis Gibson.

Gibson, who is from Oklahoma in the United States, live streamed his record breaking effort of beating the iconic 1988 Tetris game on the original Nintendo last month.

During a report about the young teen's achievement on Sky News, the mother-of-two whose children are in their teens, said: 'As a mother I would just say step away from the screen, go outside, get some fresh air. Beating Tetris is not a life goal.'

Her comments were branded 'smug' by gamers on social media, who pointed out she had not spoken in such a way about the World Darts Final between teenager Luke Littler and champion Luke Humphries despite them also excelling at an indoor activity.

Gaming journalist Chris Scullion wrote on X: 'It is the Year of Our Lord 2024 and Sky News is still telling people who play video games to go outside and get some fresh air, notably on the same day they're praising a 16-year-old darts player.'

Another person added: 'I know it likely wasn't intended in this way, but what a sad, mean-spirited thing to say, especially about a child.

'In my early years I had a parent who minimised my own accomplishments. Be careful with your words. Do better.'

Someone else added: '"Beating Tetris is not a life goal" ... year, for YOU, Sandra. How many world records had YOU set at 13 years old?

'What a small-minded, smug and horrible way to belittle this kid's achievement. As a mother I'd be super f proud. This took skill and determination, brilliant job!'

Another wrote: 'Kid nearly wins darts world championships: "omg so talented"

'Kid breaks a Tetris world record and reaches the final possible state of the game: "go outside"

'Someone remind me where darts is played because I would say both of these are pretty damn impressive feats.'

Gibson has been playing Tetris since he was 11, practicing three to five hours daily. He turned the interest into a hobby and has competed several times in gaming tournaments, with one in October where he placed third.

Ms Secker's remarks sparked backlash online with gamers accusing her of belittling Willis Gibson's achievements.

Gibson had achieved a 'True Killerscreen' in the game in just 38 minutes - meaning blocks fell at a face pace that forced the game to crash - this has only ever been done by AI.

Gamers have long believed level 30 was the screen killer after Thor Aackerlund performed a 'hypertapping' method in 2010 which saw him vibrating his fingers on the controller to move faster in the game.

However, Gibson, whose gaming name is 'Blue Scuti,' broke the record, reaching level 157 and watched the game implode on screen.

Gibson has been playing Tetris since he was 11, practicing three to five hours daily.

He turned the interest into a hobby and has competed several times in gaming tournaments, with one in October where he placed third.

'I came into the tournament hoping to get top 16, and I overshot it,' Gibson told the Stillwater News Press.
'I was mainly excited to play against some of the players I knew from online.'

Tetris is the simple but beguiling game of falling bricks of varied shapes, which have to be speedily rearranged to form a solid wall.

The video game was first created by a Soviet engineer in 1984 and made its way to the US in 1988.

It is utterly addictive and remains a commercial phenomenon, easily the best-selling video game of all time, with over half a billion downloads on mobile devices alone.

Gibson was playing Tetris during a live stream on his YouTube channel.

With a look of concentration, he stacked the blocks on top of each other as they continued to pick up speed as they fell.

'Oh, I missed it,' Gibson said after misplacing a block, but that fear of defeat quickly changed when he recovered from the mishap.

He then said, 'Oh my God,' as he observed the blocks falling into place. Gibson scored another line, and the game froze.

'Oh my God! Yes! I'm going to pass out,' he said, realising he had crashed the game. 'I can't feel my hands.'

In an interview with streamer ITZsharky1, Gibson revealed he had come close to crashing the game in previous plays but could never get there.

'My biggest struggle was when the nerves started kicking in after 30 minutes of play,' he said while noting the game win is dedicated to his dad, Adam Gibson, who died in December.