An American guest on BBC Question Time’s US Election special has been mercilessly mocked after incorrectly pronouncing a common British slang word on Thursday’s episode.

Democrat Pennsylvania state representative Malcolm Kenyatta tried to use the term ‘b******ks’ after an audience member said the phrase in their statement.

Shocked host Fiona Bruce interrupted the person in the crowd, saying: ‘I’m not sure I’ve heard that word on Question Time before but it’s a first’, while someone else shouted: ‘Welcome to America’ in response.

Later on the programme, Malcolm had a go at using the term, saying: ‘The idea that we have not unleashed American energy is – to use the word twice on Question Time – b******ks.’ However he appeared to pronounce the slang term as ‘bullocks’.

His attempt was heckled by a member of the audience, who tried to correct him but seemingly mispronounced the word again by placing the emphasis on a ‘U’ sound.

Democrat Pennsylvania state representative Malcolm Kenyatta tried to use the term ‘b******ks’ after an audience member said the phrase in their statement

Joining Fiona Bruce (third right) on the panel was BBC North America Correspondent Anthony Zurcher (left), US-based British broadcaster Mehdi Hasan (second left) Republican Martina White (third left), Malcolm Kenyatta (second right) and Bryan Lanza (far right), senior adviser to Donald Trump

Malcolm tried – and failed – to say the phrase a second time, adding: ‘Take me to the next show and then I will learn.’ 

Trying to get the programme back under control, an animated Fiona interrupted the heckler and politician, saying: ‘Oh god, OK. Whoa, whoa. I’ve got about 30 seconds left,’ before turning to a lady in the audience to give her chance to speak. 

His attempt was mocked online, with viewers at home writing on X, formerly Twitter, about the amusing moment.

One person wrote: ‘I didn’t have Americans mispronouncing “b******ks” multiple times on my Question Time bingo card.’

Another said: ‘Listening to Americans shouting “b******ks” on Question Time is my TV moment of the year.’

A third joked: ‘I’ve never heard this much b******ksbefore on the BBC. #QuestionTime #bbcqt.’

Shocked host Fiona Bruce interrupted the person in the crowd, saying: ‘I’m not sure I’ve heard that word on Question Time before but it’s a first’, while someone else shouted: ‘Welcome to America’ in response.

Audience members were quick to heckle and laugh at the mispronunciation 

Reaction: The guest’s attempt was mocked online, with viewers at home writing on X, formerly Twitter, about the amusing moment

A fourth wrote: ‘Fiona Bruce getting a bit flustered with Americans throwing the word “b******ks” around has probably been the highlight of US Question Time. Bit sad she’s not doing a few more from States now.’ 

Another was equally amused by the scenes, writing: ‘Americans failing at British slang is very much my vibe.’

‘Incredible stuff on Question Time in the US as the Democrat panellist says the word b******ks(wrongly), then someone in the crowd tries to correct him but also says it wrong, and then he says b******ks(wrongly) again,’ wrote another individual.

‘And Fiona Bruce just wants everyone to stop saying b******ks,’ concluded the person on their X post.