“What Do We Do With Our Hands?”: BBC Presenter Sally Nugent Shares Hilariously “Awkward” Photo Moment with Prince William

Even seasoned television broadcasters can get tongue-tied around royal protocol. Appearing on BBC Breakfast, presenter Sally Nugent revealed a delightfully relatable, behind-the-scenes moment with Prince William after wrapping a long-awaited television interview for the BBC documentary Thank You Sir Kev.

While Nugent’s special conversation with the Prince of Wales focused on celebrating the extraordinary fundraising efforts of rugby league icon Sir Kevin Sinfield, it was the post-interview photo op that left the host laughing at her own nervous reaction.

“You Can’t Put Your Arms Around the Prince of Wales, Can You?!”

Discussing the assignment with her co-host on BBC Breakfast, Nugent explained that sitting down with the future King had been “years in the making,” noting that William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have closely tracked Sinfield’s tireless support for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities alongside his late friend and teammate Rob Burrow.

However, when the cameras stopped rolling and it came time for a customary wrap photo, royal etiquette created an instant dilemma:

• The Casual Routine: Nugent noted that standard TV interviews usually conclude with an informal group snap.
• The Royal Quandary: Flustered over how close she could stand, Nugent recounted:
  

  “Look at me with my awkward hands! I said to him, ‘What are we gonna do with our hands?’, and he said, ‘Well, I’m going to do this’. So I thought, well I’ll just do the same… you can’t put your arms around the Prince of Wales, can you?!”

• Social Media Buzz: Sharing the resulting photo on Instagram, viewers flooded the comments, calling the candid royal interaction “insane” and praising Nugent’s down-to-earth handling of the encounter.

Prince William on Sir Kevin Sinfield: “The Guy Is Just a Machine”

Beyond the lighthearted photo banter, the core of the sit-down carried profound emotional weight, highlighting Sir Kevin Sinfield’s endurance challenges in memory of Rob Burrow, who passed away from MND in 2024:

• An Easy Knighthood: Speaking on Sinfield receiving his honor, Prince William made it clear the tribute was long overdue:
  

  “I think frankly he should have been Sir Kevin years ago. Giving Sir Kevin Sinfield a knighthood was probably one of the easiest decisions anyone’s ever had to make.”

• Marveling at the Physical Feats: Reflecting on Sinfield running seven ultra-marathons across seven days, William quipped with genuine awe:
  

  “I don’t know how he keeps going, I’m worried about his knees, I’m worried about his hips! The guy is just a machine.”

• A Leader Without Ego: The Prince praised Sinfield’s understated northern humility:
  

  “He’s a top bloke, really nice guy, good, honest, kind, decent northerner and I love that about Kevin, that there is no ego with him. He is what you get.”

Broadcast Details

The full interview airs as part of the special documentary Thank You Sir Kev on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, chronicling Sinfield’s marathon campaigns and the enduring legacy of his bond with Burrow.