The presenter’s lack of knowledge became quickly evident during a segment on the Bloodhound supersonic car, which is set for its first public run.
Robert Hall, who was presenting live from Newquay, and the 55-year-old’s studio companion Naga Munchetty couldn’t resist pointing out his error.
Charlie had asked after the segment: “It’s fascinating. Can I just ask you now – looking at the machinery behind you there – the front of it looks very aerodynamic and pointy, but there’s the lump on the top that looks the opposite of that?”
However, he was soon told that this was not the case. Robert replied: “Yes, that’s the engine, but obviously this has all been tested.
“Even before they started building this Charlie, the aerodynamics had been tested. Ron Ayers – who is 85 and came up with the design – is an aerodynamics engineer.
“That is what he does… he’s pretty good at working out what is necessary. What you see is the best shape.”
After the matter-of-fact answer, Charlie admitted: “I think that is me put firmly in my box, really. I was questioning the aerodynamics and it’s been made by the best people in the world.”
Naga, 42, then continued: “I think so. When you say, ‘It’s the lump on top’, and Robert replies with the engineers specification – I think we know, you don’t really know. That’s why we ask the questions…”
Some viewers took to Twitter to comment, with one post reading: “Charlie Stayt having a crisis of masculinity on live television #bbcbreakfast.”
However, another user defended him: “Not as silly a question as you thought Charlie, you couldn’t see that ‘lump’ on top of the car is actually an air intake hole #bbcbreakfast.”
Earlier in the show, Naga also jokingly told him that he was not allowed to touch a special fish eye lens that was used on Blue Planet 2.
BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 6am on BBC One.
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