A furious teacher branded striking resident doctors “incredibly greedy” and said they “should hang their heads in shame” in a blistering voicemail played live on BBC Radio 5 Live – leaving a senior BMA official apparently speechless and the line suddenly going dead. The angry message was aired during an interview with Dr Thomas Cheliotis-James, deputy chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, on Wednesday as the latest five-day walkout began amid an unprecedented flu crisis.

The teacher said: “The difference between the doctors, who are incredibly greedy, and the teachers, who had an equally valid complaint, is that we, once given reasonable recompense of 5% one year and 4% the next, decided that was all the country could afford. Doctors deciding they want another 30% pay rise is outrageous, nobody supports them, and whilst the strikes are impactful for patients, lots of my friends and I are personally glad that they are losing five days pay every time they strike because they don’t deserve another pay rise and they should get back to work.

“To be honest I would be starting to sack them and replace them with people who want to work. It is absolutely outrageous and the BMA and any resident doctor who comes onto your programme to justify this crazy strike should hang their heads in shame, resign and get a job in the real world.”

Presenter Rick Edwards played the clip and asked Dr Cheliotis-James for his response, saying: “So a teacher there, quite angry with your strike action and particularly with what you’re asking for on pay, Thomas.”

After several seconds of silence, Mr Edwards added: “Oh, we seemed to have lost Thomas. Well, that’s a shame, or he has nothing to say in response… I don’t know if we are going to try and get him back? We will try but with little faith I think.”

Earlier in the interview, Dr Cheliotis-James had said talks with the Labour Government continued until Tuesday night but “unfortunately they didn’t make enough progress”.

He added: “We hope to make progress across all areas of this dispute, including pay, after this industrial action.”

The embarrassing on-air moment came as thousands of resident doctors began their 14th strike since 2023, cancelling appointments and operations at the worst possible time for the NHS.

Hospitals are battling record flu admissions driven by a dominant H3N2 strain, with warnings of a potential later surge in influenza B affecting children. NHS leaders say disruption from the walkout – estimated to cost £250 million – will be felt into January and February.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting apologised to patients, insisting the government did “everything we could” to avert action, including 11th-hour talks. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the strike “dangerous and utterly irresponsible”, urging doctors: “Don’t abandon patients.”