BBC News anchor becomes emotional during Zaghari-Ratcliffe announcement

BBC News presenter said it was a ‘moving moment’

BBC News presenter Joanna Gosling apologised on-air after becoming overwhelmed with emotion while announcing the “moving” news that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is “heading to Tehran airport and on her way home”.

British-Iranian mother Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is about to leave Iran where she has been detained since 2016, her MP Tulip Siddiq has said.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her fellow detainee Anoosheh Ashoori are believed to be heading to Tehran airport in a bid to leave the country.

While announcing the breaking story on BBC news, Ms Gosling was visibly overcome with emotion.

The broadcast journalist, 51, said: “Sorry, this is a moving moment because these are people who have been detained for some time.

“Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been held for nearly six years in Iran and her husband has worked tirelessly to secure her release.”

Mr Johnson said negotiations about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe were “moving forward” but “going right up to the wire”.

But there is still nervousness in Whitehall about the ongoing situation, with sources stressing the pair will not be free until they are actually on a plane out of Iran.