In a week filled with football banter, BBC presenter Melvin Odoom found himself at the centre of a comical mix-up after unwittingly reading out a fake story about Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock.
The tale, which had been circulating on social media, claimed that Willock got lost in a maze—an incident that never actually happened.
The Maze Mix-Up
The prank originated from the X account @FrancisChipp, a page known for sharing entirely fabricated stories, often about Newcastle players.
Last week, the account posted a tongue-in-cheek report stating that Willock had been “lost in York Maze for around six hours” and required rescuing after an emergency call.
Despite its humorous intent, the story caught fire online, with thousands of fans reacting to the fictional event.
On-Air Confusion
Odoom brought the tale to life on the Rickie, Melvin and Charlie Show, joining co-hosts Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges for a discussion about unusual places people had found themselves lost.
“Do you know Newcastle player Joe Willock? He plays in midfield,” Odoom said on air.
“He was rescued from a York maze recently after a distress call at around 5pm.
He had been stuck there for about six hours—it’s the UK’s largest maze, so a little trip went a bit wrong.”
Co-hosts joined in, sharing anecdotes about their own experiences getting lost in mazes, while Hedges jokingly asked about cameras in these attractions—prompting a humorous on-air discussion about the supposed lack of monitoring.
The Moment the Truth Emerged
The presenter was later informed that he had fallen for a hoax.
Hedges broke the news: “There’s an account where this guy makes up fake news all the time and sees who chats about it. Sorry about that.”
Odoom’s reaction was a mix of amusement and mock guilt: “So that never happened to Joe at all? To be fair it was not a factual site. I feel like I have lied to the nation.”
Not the First Time Newcastle Stars Have Been Targeted
This is far from the first time Newcastle players have been victims of playful social media pranks.
In August, a post claimed defender Matt Targett had been accidentally left in Seoul after a pre-season tour.
Targett laughed off the story, posting an Instagram photo in training and reassuring fans that he had returned on time.
Similarly, in 2023, a fabricated tale suggested Sean Longstaff requested a month-long holiday to travel with his brother.
Longstaff later addressed the rumour after scoring, joking that there was “no time for travelling when there’s three points at SJP to be had.”
He added in a press conference, “I don’t really know what to say, I think it’s a bit scary that one person can write something that’s not true and the amount of people that think it is true is nuts.”
Social Media’s Power and the Joke Goes On
While the story about Willock was entirely false, it highlights how quickly humorous content can spread and even make its way onto mainstream broadcasts.
In the end, fans were entertained, and Odoom became the latest high-profile figure to be caught out by the online hoaxster.