I REALLY felt for BBC TV presenter Laura Kuenssberg after she accidentally sent the former prime minister her briefing notes before an interview, which then had to be cancelled. Now news of another message mishap has emerged with reports that BBC Radio 5 Live host Tony Livesey and his co-host Clare McDonnell have fallen out and refused to work with one another Tony is understood to have mistakenly sent an email to Clare, criticising her presenting skills, which was intended for another colleague. It’s a terrible feeling when something like this happens - and it’s all too easy.
With the speed of email you can tap the wrong symbol in an instant. I’ve done it myself. Only a few months ago I wrote a jokey email to a colleague about press release I had received, but instead of it going to her, I sent it instead back to the PR agency who sent it.
Thankfully, it wasn’t anything rude or mean, but I apologised. I heard nothing back, but they carried on sending me press releases, so it appears they either didn’t see it, didn’t understand it, or laughed it off. I also once sent a quick message to the wrong work contact, with three kisses tagged on the end and sent a curt message to my dad about showing me more respect - it was meant for my husband.
When something like that happens, your heart falls to the pit of your stomach. I have also, through ignorance of emailing know-how, sent a reply intended for one person to a whole list of individuals. Social media is a minefield f.