No evidence PM was verbally abused while out jogging

3 May 2024
What was claimed

A video shows Rishi Sunak being verbally abused while out jogging.

Our verdict

The video appears to have been altered to include a different soundtrack. We can find no evidence to show this really happened during the run filmed in the clip.

A video clip posted to Facebook claims to capture Prime Minister Rishi Sunak being verbally abused while out jogging.

The video, which has been shared thousands of times, is captioned: “Rishi Sunak is reminded of why he doesn’t go on outdoor runs often.”

It shows Mr Sunak on an early morning jog through Westminster with Russ Cook, also known as The Hardest Geezer, who recently completed running the full length of Africa.   

As the pair cross a street on their way towards Buckingham Palace, a voice  can be heard from somewhere offscreen making an abusive comment. Mr Cook gives a thumbs up gesture towards the person making the comment. Mr Sunak glances over but otherwise does not appear to react. 

There is no evidence to corroborate this version of events and it appears the clip has been altered with the abusive comment added as a separate soundtrack. 

The same sequence can be found in a longer version of the video that was published on Mr Sunak’s official YouTube channel on 25 April. Rather than an abusive comment, a muffled voice can be heard paying a compliment to Mr Cook who then gives a thumbs up gesture. 

It does not appear that the official version has been edited in any way to remove offensive remarks. 

Miscaptioned or altered videos are a common type of misinformation we see spreading online. It’s always worth considering whether a post actually depicts what it claims to show before sharing it online. Our guides on spotting misleading images and videos can help you to do this. 

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