Reporter in Spain quits job on live TV after she thought she won lottery jackpot but it was only €5,000

She later apologised on Twitter for her reaction.

Kayla Wong | Jane Zhang | December 27, 2019, 04:39 PM

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.

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.

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.

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