BBC Apologizes For Bush Makeup Shot

Showed Bush Having Hair Styled, Makeup Applied Before War Speech

(AP)  The British Broadcasting Corp. apologized Friday for mistakenly broadcasting images of President Bush having his hair styled and his makeup applied just before he went on television to tell Americans war in Iraq was under way.

BBC World, which broadcasts around the world, and the network's channels in Britain showed up to a minute of the footage before cutting away.

"We came too early to the White House feed and then had technical difficulties getting our studio shot back," the BBC said in a statement. "We are very sorry, have apologized and will not be using that footage again."

CBS, which was responsible for pool coverage of the speech, was transmitting a video feed to other broadcasters from the White House ahead of Wednesday's somber address, but it was not supposed to air until the president was ready.

A BBC spokesman said technicians put the video, which was silent, on air accidentally but had trouble switching away from it quickly. They did so as soon as they could, then went back to the White House when Bush began to speak, he added.