This absolutely ripped BBC news reporter is causing a stir online

When you think of BBC news reporters you probably imagine some stiff in a suit.

The serious stare, the identikit shirt and tie and the classic news reporter drone that could put a glass eye to sleep come as standard. We often sit an wonder whether there's anything really behind the suit, or whether they're very cleverly engineered cyborgs that are kept in the good old CBBC Broom Cupboard when the cameras stop rolling. Well, one BBC foreign correspondent has firmly put the robot theory to bed with some photos on Instagram that have showed he's almost definitely human...an insanely ripped human at that. While most foreign correspondents would probably fit the gritty or weather-beaten mould, delivering sombre dispatches with gravitas from war zones and terror attacks, the James Longman couldn't be more different. The BBC's man in Lebanese capital Beirut not only tackles hard-hitting bulletins from the Middle East, he keeps himself in ridiculous shape. https://www.instagram.com/p/179nhvqFlN/?taken-by=jamesaalongman The 29-year-old journalist, who has covered terror attacks in Paris and Nice for the BBC, has been getting bombarded with messages from female fans (and plenty of blokes to be fair) in his Instagram posts. One female Twitter user wrote: 'Oh, hello! Have just come across dishy BBC News Beirut Correspondent James Longman.' You get the gist; they're not all as tame. https://www.instagram.com/p/BIuziqbhCbB/?taken-by=jamesaalongman The Daily Mail found the whole thing rather titillating, saying 'the BBC’s new man in Beirut is winning fans not for his in-depth knowledge of the Middle East – but for his movie-star good looks and his habit of posting daring selfies on social media.

'In a series of topless pictures on Instagram, James Longman shows off his gym-honed body and enviable six-pack.

'And the images – of a type more usually seen from reality TV stars than authoritative journalists – seem to be distracting viewers from his insights.'

Because apparently you can't look good, be in shape and hold down a job reporting for the BBC at the same time.

We would like to know what his training programme looks like, although we're not sure we'd be able to keep up with him in the gym...

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