Ashley Roberts made a significant on-air blunder on Thursday after mistakenly announcing that Dick Van Dyke had died.
During an entertainment news update on Britain’s Heart FM on Thursday, the former Pussycat Dolls singer incorrectly reported the death of the Hollywood legend while presenting alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston.
Detailing what she described as the “sad news”, Roberts told listeners, “Dawson’s Creek’s Dick Van Dyke has passed away.”
However, she had intended to refer to Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek, who died on Wednesday, aged 48, following a battle with colorectal cancer.
Theakston was quick to correct his co-host’s error, interjecting, “Not Dick Van Dyke – come on. If you’re going to do a sensitive moment, if you’re going to do an obituary, you can’t just say Dick Van Dyke.”
Holden then clarified that the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actor is “alive”.
Realising her mistake, Roberts acknowledged that Van Dyke had recently celebrated his 100th birthday.
“Yes, (he’s alive) – he’s 100 years old! Oh my gosh, we spoke about this, I’m so sorry,” she stated.
Theakston added, “Unbelievably, he’s very much still alive.”
The on-air slip comes almost two months after the Mary Poppins actor marked his centenary with a low-key celebration at his Malibu home alongside his wife of 13 years, Arlene Silver.
It was announced on Wednesday that Van Der Beek had died following a two-year battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
A statement published on the actor’s Instagram account read, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
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