‘Fox & Friends’ mistakenly airs Ruth Bader Ginsburg obituary graphic

The hosts of ‘Fox & Friends’ apologised on Monday after airing a graphic suggesting that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died.

The graphic featured a photo of the 85-year-old liberal justice with the dates 1933-2019, a tribute image similar to those made to announce the death of prominent public figures.

The hosts blamed the control room for the mishap.

“We need to apologise,” co-host Steve Doocey said later on the program. “A technical error in the control room triggered a graphic of RBG with a date on it. We don’t want to make it seem anything other than that was a mistake. That was an accident.”

Ainsley Earhardt, another co-host, chimed in: “We apologise. Big mistake.”

A spokesperson for Fox News confirmed the cause of error to the Hill: “This was a technical error that emanated from the graphics team.”

Since the Supreme Court convened in early January, Ms Ginsburg has been working from home as she recovers from a surgical procedure done to remove cancerous nodules from her lung. The cancerous nodules were discovered after the feminist icon was taken into hospital after a fall that fractured several of her ribs.

The surgical procedure resulted in Ms Ginsburg missing oral arguments this month, making it the first time in her 25-year career serving on the court.

The court announced that there is no evidence of remaining cancer, and that the justice is expected to return to the bench.

The health of “Notorious RBG” has become a growing concern among progressives who view the liberal-leaning justice as a bastion protecting the reproductive rights of women and advocating for gender equality, especially among reports that the White House is creating a shortlist of nominees for her eventual death or departure from the bench.

If Ms Ginsburg ends up leaving the court within the next two years, it will like result in a 6-3 conservative majority.