Kid Rock: what happened during his 'cringe' BBC News interview - what was said?

• American musician Kid Rock was interviewed on BBC News before President Trump’s inauguration.
• The controversial singer/ rapper has been a vocal supporter of the politician.
• During the interview he called a BBC reporter ‘sexy’ in an awkward moment.

A car crash BBC News interview saw the controversial musician Kid Rock call one of the presenters “sexy” - and viewers have already labelled it one of the most “awkward” TV moments of the year so far. It happened during the broadcaster’s coverage of the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Best known in the UK for his 2008 hit song All Summer Long, the singer and rapper has been a vocal supporter of the reality TV star turned politician. He even performed at the ‘victory rally’ on the eve of the new presidency.

The Beeb covered the inauguration for viewers in Britain - including showing it live on BBC One. Kid Rock was one of the guests interviewed during the broadcast and this is what happened:

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What did Kid Rock say during his BBC News interview?

Donald Trump's closeness to American oligarchs, like Elon Musk, means they will hold unprecedented power over American money (Picture: Kena Betancur) | AFP via Getty Images

The American musician appeared on BBC News on Monday January 20 ahead of the inauguration of President Donald Trump. But it was quickly derailed when Kid Rock attempted to flirt with presenter Caitríona Perry.

Smoking a cigar and wearing a hat saying ‘grit’, he starts by asking the presenter “where you at?” After she explains that she was on a rooftop in Washington D.C. filming for BBC News, he states: “I can’t see you right now, so I don’t know what you look like.”

Attempting to keep the interview on track, Caitríona says that she’s wrapped up warm against the conditions - leading to the most cringe-inducing moment of the whole interview.

Kid Rock proceeds to say: “I love to go skiing, you sound sexy, you want to go with me.” Leaving the presenter momentarily dumbstruck before she manages to move the segment on.

Viewers aghast at ‘awkward’ interview

Following the car crash interaction on BBC News on Monday, people quickly took to social media to label it “awkward”. TV critic Scott Bryan wrote: “Kid Rock flirting on BBC News is some of the most awkward television you'll see this year.”

Another described it as “one of the most awkward things I've listened to in years”. One person wrote: “The whole Kid Rock thing is just unbelievably cringe.”

Who is Kid Rock?

The musician, real name Robert James Ritchie, was far more of a big deal in the United States, but he did cross over to the UK in the 00s. His song ‘All Summer Long’ was a hit back in 2008 - it sampled classic tracks like Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Ritchie is also known for his whirlwind marriage to Pamela Anderson in the early 2000s.

Releasing his first album in 1990, Kid Rock started out as a rapper, before transitioning into country and rock music over the course of his career. His best known tracks - outside of the one most familiar to British audiences - include Cowboy and Picture from 1999 and 2002 respectively.

In recent years, Kid Rock has cut a controversial figure for his political stances - including his embrace of Donald Trump. He has also faced criticism for flying the Confederate flag at concerts and using a slur for gay people during a live performance.

Rock went viral in 2023 for shooting a crate of Bud Light with a gun, amid the furore over Anheuser-Busch advertising with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

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