Police escort is good news for BBC pair in gridlock

BBC newsreaders were forced to get a police escort to the recording studio after getting stuck in traffic, jeopardising the broadcast of the 6pm news.

Fiona Bruce, the presenter, and Mark Easton, the BBC home editor, were on their way to Millbank studios after a technical issue made live broadcasts from Broadcasting House impossible.

In a rush to make it, the pair accidentally stumbled into the middle of a protest, which had brought traffic to a halt.

The so-called Women Against the State Pension Inequality had blocked the road outside Parliament, with many sitting in the street preventing the traffic from passing.

Easton tweeted a picture of himself with Bruce in a taxi at 5.20pm on their way to the studios, but warned the traffic was “dreadful”. Luckily, “Policeman Josh” saved the day and escorted them through the crowd.

A spokesman for Met Police said no parliamentary officers were involved in the incident, but added the police were “here to help”.

The BBC said in a statement: “We’ve had technical problems at our HQ and will be broadcasting BBC News at Six from our Millbank studio.”