BBC Breakfast in chaos as surreal news segment leaves hosts in hysterics

GB, March 28 — BBC Breakfast presenters Naga Munchetty and Ben Thompson couldn't help but chuckle during an unusual segment on this morning's show (March 28). The pair were fronting Saturday's flagship news programme when they found themselves battling to keep straight faces during a report examining whether sticking googly eyes onto takeaway containers might deter seagulls. As they introduced BBC correspondent Jake Zuckerman's piece, Ben visibly struggled to suppress his laughter, prompting Naga to take over.

Yet she too could be spotted fighting back her amusement, reports the Mirror . "This is a theory being put forward by experts who say attaching those googly eyes - the eyes that shake, aren't they - can deter opportunistic thieves such as these," she explained, pointing to an enormous image of a seagull displayed behind her. "Our reporter Jake Zuckerman has been to the seaside.

He's been testing it out. " In the segment, the University of Exeter's Dr Laura Kelly said: "We found that if you present gulls with takeaway boxes with and without eyes on, that gulls are far less likely to approach and eat from takeaway boxes that have eyes on. In essence, gulls seem to be deterred by the presence of eyes.

" Jake put the theory to the test, wandering the streets of Cleethorpes with a large polystyrene container adorned with wobbling eyes, asking residents their views on the research and handing out the stick-on eyes for people to trial themselves. "I think it's a bit daft," remarked one sceptical interviewee, while another eagerly accepted a pair of eyes from the reporter to test on her newly-purchased takeaway. "I'll try ought, I'm scared to death of them," she admitted.

As his segment drew to a close, Jake began attaching the eyes to doughnuts and ice creams too, before using the polystyrene takeaway container as a puppet, making it appear to announce: "Jake Zuckerman, BBC News. " The broadcast immediately returned to the studio, where Ben was seen covering his mouth, desperately trying to suppress his laughter at the surreal conclusion before eventually regaining his professional demeanour. Meanwhile, Naga announced: "And we will be talking to an ecologist and seagull expert about this a little later on Breakfast," before glancing towards Ben.

"Ben's got ideas as well. " He then interjected: "I have theories. I'm wondering whether they need to actually move or whether you can just print them on the box.

Because who's going to be walking round with little eyes all the time. " BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.