BBC commentator issues public apology for what she did during live TV broadcast of 2024 Olympic Games

A BBC commentator has issued an apology after admitting an error during Great Britain's hockey victory against Spain at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Team GB have already won two medals in the very early stages of this Olympics, with with Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen claiming bronze in the women's synchronised 3m springboard final on the first official day of action.

And Anna Henderson won a cycling time trial silver medal on her Olympic debut, with plenty more medal opportunities on the horizon for British athletes in the days to follow.

Team GB's hockey teams - both men's and women's - have begun their search for medals and the men got off to a winning start.

Great Britain's men beat Spain 4-0 to get their campaign in Pool A off to a winning start on Saturday.

Nick Park put Team GB ahead in the first quarter, before defender Gareth Furlong doubled the lead at the beginning of the second quarter.

Furling scored his second in the final quarter, with Rupert Shipperley adding a fourth to put the result truly beyond doubt.

Britain will take on South Africa this evening as they continue their Pool A campaign before playing the Netherlands, France and Germany.

They will be aiming to be among the Pool's top four teams, who will book their passage to the quarter-final stage.

In the UK, the BBC are broadcasting a choice of sports and showed the British men's hockey clash against the Spanish.

Former women's hockey star Kate Richardson-Walsh won Olympic gold and bronze medals with Team GB's women at the Rio and London games respectively.

Since retiring in 2016, Richardson-Walsh has undertaken coaching and ambassadorial roles, as well as commentary and broadcasting duties.

She is doing the latter with the BBC at the Paris Olympics and was part of the team commentating on Team GB's men against Spain.

But Richardson-Walsh has taken to X to issue an apology after she talked over the national anthems before the encounter began.

I’m so sorry I was talking over the national anthems today before the GB v Spain Mens hockey game on the BBC today. I felt all I could do was note my feelings and apologise. In hindsight perhaps I should have paused. Please know this completely cut across my values 🙏🏼

— Kate Richardson-Walsh OLY (@katewalsh11) July 27, 2024

She wrote: "I’m so sorry I was talking over the national anthems today before the GB v Spain Men's hockey game on the BBC today. I felt all I could do was note my feelings and apologise.

"In hindsight perhaps I should have paused. Please know this completely cut across my values."

To her credit, many who have responded have supported Richardson-Walsh following her apology and how she handled the situation, praising the job she is doing and the insight she is providing.