News anchor Alastair Stewart has been praised for keeping his cool as a toddler hilariously took over his live news broadcast.
Stewart was conducting a segment about milk allergies on the ITV Lunchtime News with a mother Lucy and her young son, George, and daughter, Iris, when the little girl got up and ran around the desk.
She climbed up on the desk in front of Stewart, often creeping into his shot, for the remainder of the piece.
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As the toddler got up to run around, Stewart said that she “will do whatever she chooses to do for the next couple of minutes”, before continuing with the interview.
Alastair spoke to Lucy and George about his allergy to milk while super sweet tot Iris ran around the studio completely oblivious to what was going on.
Talking to George, who unlike his sister was quietly sitting next to his mum, the presenter said: “What’s she like, who’s now on the desk,” pointing to Iris, who was trying her hardest to climb up on his desk.
Turning to Iris, Alastair said: “You alright? You just carry on there.”
Iris finally managed to get on top of the desk and crawled around before speaking in the background.
Having stifled laughter while continuing the broadcast, the veteran newscaster joked at the end of the segment: “Mary Nightingale, I think, will have a more peaceful time at 6.30.
“From all of us, a very good afternoon to you.”
Following the show Alastair took to Twitter himself to speak about the hilarious incident.
He tweeted: “I’m so pleased so many enjoyed Iris & her delicious antics on @itvnews at 1pm. This, however, matters most to me. #CowsMilkAllergies.”
Viewers were in hysterics seeing the unlikely takeover of the lunchtime broadcast. Many took to Twitter to laugh at the incident.
One said: “Tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks! Feel ITV 1 +1 coming on!!” one viewer wrote.
Another said: “@alstewitn @itvnews dealt with that lunchtime news very well, if anyone needs their day cheering up get on @itvhub now.”
“I think that may be my favourite interview on ITV News. Well done Alistair Stewart #ITVNews #ITVLunchtimeNews #Hilarious,” a third tweeted.
Many hailed Stewart, with one writing: “Child casually clambering all over the news desk whilst Alistair Stewart gets on with it #itvnews #pro #neverworkwithchildrenoranimals.”
“What a professional Alistair Stewart on @itvnews is… carrying on presenting with a toddler climbing all over his desk #hilarious #itvnews,” another viewer remarked.
Stewart’s colleagues were among those talking about the unexpected TV moment.
Paul Brand, ITV News’ political correspondent, tweeted: “TODDLER TAKEOVER! Best lunchtime news ever. Well done @alstewitn for holding fort!”
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ITV News’ royal editor Chris Ship said: “What happens when mum comes into the studio with the kids. Live on @itvnews. Top work by @alstewitn.”
Repsonding to Ship’s message, BBC’s Today presenter Nick Robinson quipped: “Nice. One of my kids licked the desk when they came in.”