During a report on Trident nuclear missile defence system, the words ‘CYBERCALIPHATE’ and ‘Je suIS IS’ in red and black writing appeared on TV screens following a feature on the BBC News Channel.

The anchor Clive Myrie was distracted and then apologised and the live programme resumed.

He said: “I do apologise, we seem to have lost our report from James Robbins, erm… stay with us.”

The incident happened just after 8:07pm leaving producers scrambling to the next feature. A BBC spokesperson has reported that the interruption was not the result of a hack but a mistake.

“This was an operational error in which a graphic being used in BBC reports about the French cyber-attack was broadcast briefly by mistake during another item.”

The image that appeared was in fact a screen grabbed from the hacked French television network’s Facebook page, which was taken over by Isis supporters hours earlier.

‘Cyber-Jihadis’ hijacked the entire French television network claiming to be working for Islamic State today. Hackers caused a three-hour blackout on TV5Monde up until 1am, and also took over the channel’s website and Facebook page.

The hackers also claimed to have leaked files including CVs, scanned passports and government letters, according to an analysis by the SITE Intelligence Group.

They have also posted ostensible pictures and identity cards of relatives of French soldiers involved in military action against Islamic State (IS), along with threats.

They posted a message on the broadcaster’s Facebook page: “Soldiers of France, stay away from the Islamic State! You have the chance to save your families, take advantage of it. The Cybercaliphate continues its cyberjihad against the enemies of Islamic State.”

Fleur Pellerin, the culture minister has called the heads of big French TV companies, newspapers and the Agence France-Presse news agency together to address what can be done now.