Indian TV host’s on-air rant goes viral after guest mix-up

A video of an Indian news anchor berating a guest live on TV before realizing he was shouting down the wrong person has gone viral. (Screenshot)
A video of an Indian news anchor berating a guest live on TV before realizing he was shouting down the wrong person has gone viral. (Screenshot)
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Updated 04 March 2022
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Indian TV host’s on-air rant goes viral after guest mix-up

A video of an Indian news anchor berating a guest live on TV before realizing he was shouting down the wrong person has gone viral. (Screenshot)
  • Graphics on screen had the names and titles of the two guests during a debate on Ukraine swapped round

LONDON: A video of an Indian news anchor berating a guest live on TV before realizing he was shouting down the wrong person has gone viral.

Rahul Shivshankar, a right-wing anchor on the Times Now channel, got into a heated debate with Bohdan Nahaylo, chief editor of Kyiv Post, for nearly two minutes, thinking he was addressing Daniel McAdams, a US foreign policy commentator.

But graphics on screen had the names and titles of the two men swapped round, meaning Nahaylo was identified as McAdams and vice versa.

The viral clip shows Shivshankar telling who he believes to be McAdams to “just take a bit of a chill pill,” and telling him to “relax.” Nahaylo hits back by saying he cannot relax while “my country is at war.”

After more than a minute of shouting over each other, McAdams finally has to shout out to stop the debate and tells anchor the mistake that has been made.

"Dear host, I haven't said a word yet,” McAdams said. “I don't know why you're yelling at me.”

The host responded: “I am not yelling at you, I am talking about Mr McAdams.”

While an exasperated McAdams replied: “I am Mr McAdams, I am Mr McAdams and I haven't said a word, so stop yelling at me.”

Shivshankar, who then apologizes, said he got confused.