The story behind that noise on BBC One before Wolves vs Liverpool

Note to self: always watch the pre-match coverage, even if Danny Murphy is in the studio. You just never know when some crafty prankster is going to strike.

All was going swimmingly in the BBC studio ahead of the FA Cup third-round replay between Wolves and Liverpool on Tuesday night. Paul Ince and Murphy were yet to send Gary Lineker into a deep snooze, and the presenter was just about to introduce Alan Shearer so he could give us his thoughts about the cup tie at Molineux.

Lineker, however, was interrupted by an excruciatingly familiar sound that the vast majority of us are only exposed to briefly. On Tuesday, though, those in the studio were powerless as the noise persisted.

So, what exactly happened at Molineux ahead of the FA Cup replay, and who was the prankster responsible?

What happened on BBC One before Wolves vs Liverpool?

Lineker was preparing to talk to co-commentator Shearer on the gantry when they were caught out by some bawdy moans and groans that squealed out from somewhere inside the studio.

Plenty of unlucky victims have been subject to a similar prank at the most inappropriate times. On this occasion, it was the turn of the BBC. A few years ago when defender Filipe Luis was being unveiled by Flamengo, the same noise boomed out at the press conference.

How the pundits reacted at the time

With much amusement. Lineker briefly glanced at Murphy and could barely contain a smile as he introduced Shearer. "I don't know who's making that noise but Alan Shearer is in the commentary gantry," the presenter said as the former Newcastle striker chuckled away.

The highlight of the whole sequence was undoubtedly Murphy's attempt to analyse Julen Lopetegui's Wolves while being drowned out by the moans and groans.

Anyway, a while later and after the game had kicked off, Lineker tweeted a picture of a mobile phone from which the audio was coming from. The presenter continued to find the funny side as he later said it was a "good prank" in an interview with Newsnight.

"If you told me this morning that tonight I'd be on Newsnight talking about a porn scandal, I would have been terrified," he added.

How everybody reacted on Twitter

The prank unsurprisingly created a Twitter frenzy with the top eight trends in the UK on Tuesday night all being linked to the BBC's pre-match coverage at Molineux.

Who's taken responsibility?

Many will be familiar with the work of YouTuber Daniel Jarvis or, as he's more commonly known, 'Jarvo'.

Jarvis was evidently proud of his work as a video of his reaction circulated online. He confirmed it was his doing in a tweet which showed how he set up the prank. "Best prankster ever!!!!" he modestly called himself.

Jarvis has gained some notoriety in recent years for his habit of crashing major sporting events. During his pranking career, Jarvo has sung the national anthem with the All Blacks, hugged Vinicius Junior after Real Madrid won the 2022 Champions League final, and crashed into England cricketer Jonny Bairstow while invading the field at the Oval.

His antics have got him into a bit of trouble, however. Jarvis was convicted of aggravated trespass last October and was subsequently given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for two years. He's also meant to be banned from attending any venue where a sporting fixture is being held in England and Wales for two years.