Jesus line derails TV train of thought
FOR more than six divine minutes, a mysterious ghostly voice repeatedly told Seven Network viewers: "Jesus Christ one of the Navarines" during a documentary on a train disaster screened last night.
Shortly after Mayday started at 7.30pm on the network, the unknown voice was heard while the documentary's images continued.
Seven was flooded with 300 calls from viewers regarding what will undoubtedly become one of TV's memorable moments.
A Seven spokesman said a technical glitch was responsible for the religious message being broadcast in Victoria and NSW.
The spokesman said the network was always "spreading the good word", but not in a biblical sense.
"It was a technical glitch due to an audio problem with the tape," he said.
"The line actually is 'Jesus Christ one of the Navarines' and this is from the documentary.
"It was not a prank, but one of those things that happen from time to time. The tape was stuck or something glitched between 7.35pm and 7.41pm, and we did everything we could to fix the problem as quickly as possible. Once everything was sorted, the program continued."
Marc Scardilli, who was watching at his Port Macquarie holiday home, said: "I was channel-surfing and heard this weird sound being repeated. It caught my attention as it was very odd, a bit creepy. There was a visual montage, but when the soundtrack began and I listened more closely, it was a loop repeating, 'Jesus Christ'.
"At first I thought it was part of the show, but in 10 to 15 seconds I heard it say 'Jesus Christ' more than 20 times. I thought it was some subliminal message, or that someone must have hacked in or something was going wrong at the station. I've never seen anything like this before."
Another viewer, Richard Martin from Kensington in Sydney's eastern suburbs, said: "I was actually interested in the documentary as I have an interest in trains. But it went on for six minutes, I tried to ring Channel Seven but couldn't get through. I've never seen anything like this before, and doubt I will ever again."