A Spanish reporter quit her job on live TV after learning that she won the lottery -- only to realise that it was just €5,000 (S$7,529), Sky News reported.
"I'm not coming to work tomorrow!"
Natalia Escudero, who works for national broadcaster RTVE, shouted ecstatically into the camera, saying, "I'm not coming to work tomorrow!" after hearing her name being announced as a winner of the Spanish lottery.
Aquí la tienes: "la reportera de La 1" de la que habla todo el mundo a estas horas. ¡Se llama Natalia Escudero! #LoteríaRTVE
— RTVE Play (@rtveplay) December 22, 2019
🔴 Directo ➡ https://t.co/pfgTOQpaaN pic.twitter.com/58j3ACuNte
Escudero was criticised for a lack of professionalism on social media, where the clip was widely shared.
In subsequent shows after the clip aired, however, she was no longer exuberant, and even made the gesture of zipping her lips.
Natalia Escudero, reportera de La Mañana de La 1, que se "ha venido arriba" en directo: "El Gordo, Gordo, no me ha tocado. Pero un pellizco me ha tocado [...] Y la lotería de conocer a toda esta gente". https://t.co/PdbwwySsTG #LoteríaRTVE @LaMananaTVE pic.twitter.com/2xIQRJMX8u
— RTVE (@rtve) December 22, 2019
In the clip, she said she might not have won the lottery, but she still "won" as she had gotten to know the people around her.
Apologised for her behaviour
Escudero also took to Twitter to apologise for her reaction, saying she regretted behaving in such an "emotional" manner, and wanted to explain her actions to viewers who might have felt "cheated", according to the BBC.
She also said she was going through a "difficult" time due to "personal reasons", before wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
Hola a tod@s, sirva este tweet para primero pedir disculpas a cualquier espectador que hoy se haya sentido engañado por una servidora , al afirmar en directo que me había tocado el Gordo de Navidad en el programa LA MAÑANA. Es cierto que me ha invadido la emoción y ahora explico
— natalia escudero (@nataliescudero1) December 22, 2019
She wrote on Twitter, "It is sad that Natalia Escudero is today [known as] the manipulative and lying journalist from RTVE."
She added that she has been a journalist for 25 years, and has always done her job while "holding her head high", and has a "clear conscience" because of her "rigor and proven work".
She also said she was not lying about taking time off as she was going on a holiday.
Christmas lottery is a tradition in Spain
Spain's Christmas lottery is an annual tradition.
Friends and families often pool money to buy lottery tickets together in the hope of hitting the jackpot.
BBC reported that the Christmas lottery's top prize is 4 million euros (S$6,024,282), and can be shared among winners.
Top image via TVE/Twitter
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