Live BBC interview interrupted by silver-painted mime artist shouting ‘F*** off!’ in street

'Apologies again for any bad language you may have heard in that live report'

A live BBC report from Leicester city centre was cut short after a street mime artist painted entirely in silver started screaming “Go away!” and “F*** off!” in the background.

The interruption occurred on the BBC East Midlands Today programme during a story about a police crackdown on “street drinkers and beggars” in the city centre following complaints of anti-social behaviour.

The mime artist, who is wearing a silver mask and feather headdress, can first be seen arguing with a man dressed in black as BBC reporter Amy Harris interviewed Inspector Manjit Atwal about how police had sought to address the issue.

As the camera and Ms Harris turn to the next interviewee, Police Community Support Officer Zahid Ahmed, the mime artist can be heard out of shot, screaming: “Go away! F*** off! F*** off!”

Ms Harris then cuts the interview short and apologises for the noise in the background. As the camera pans around, the mime artist is seen screaming at the man dressed in black, while Inspector Atwal places herself between the two men.

Cutting back to the studio, the anchor says: “Apologies again for any bad language you may have heard in that live report from Leicester.”

It is unclear what prompted the mime artist's anger.

Leicester police said both men were spoken to by officers and no arrests were made.