ACTOR Richard Gere left a TV host lost for words as he flipped the bird at her live on air.

The star caused the presenter to gasp as he stuck his middle finger in her face during the awkward exchange.

Richard Gere flashed his middle finger at Samantha Guthrie on The Today ShowCredit: NBC / TODAY

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She was quick to bat his hand awayCredit: NBC / TODAY
Richard, aged 75, had stopped by US morning talk show The Today Show to discuss his brand new Paramount+ series, The Agency.

As his interview with the show’s host, Samantha Guthrie, got underway, it immediately got off to a bad start as he made the shocking rude gesture.

Today began the segment by airing the new The Agency trailer, but before Savannah had time to introduce him, Richard stuck his middle finger up at her in full view of the cameras.

Samantha did not know how to react; she stumbled and used her interview notes to fan his hand away from the cameras.

As her eyes widened, the host quipped: “You just did an obscene gesture on this family morning show.”

Scrambling, she could be heard saying: “I’m bleeping you.”

Attempting to explain what had happened, Richard insisted he was recreating a scene from his character that would have played out next from the trailer had it not been cut.

The actor said: “You didn’t show but that’s what I did in the piece.

“That’s what the clip was.”

Aiming to add more clarity amid the fluster of Richard’s mishap, Samantha interjected: “That’s what the clip was, but we cut that part out.

Why was Richard Gere banned from the Oscars?
“But then you did it live.”

Richard confessed he did the gesture as the trailer “didn’t make any sense” without it.

The Agency features a star-studded cast with George Clooney among one of its producers.

As well as Richard, the show’s credits include Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, and Jodie Turner-Smith.

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He went on to explain himself to the host after the mishapCredit: Getty