Larry Madowo's BBC return announcement turns out to be April Fool's joke

Renowned Kenyan international journalist Larry Madowo recently caused a stir on social media after jokingly announcing his return to the BBC Washington, a claim he later revealed was an April Fool's prank.

Madowo, who had previously worked at the BBC, had purportedly returned after a three-year stint at Cable News Network (CNN).

In a tweet shared on Monday morning, Madowo announced, "Personal news: after 3 exhilarating years at CNN, I'm thrilled to share that I've returned to BBC in Washington. Thanks for the ride."

Larry Madowo Pulse Live Kenya

The announcement came as a surprise to many of his followers, who congratulated him on his supposed return to the BBC.

Larry Madowo's clarification and confirmation

However, a few hours later, Madowo clarified that the announcement was, in fact, a joke.

He confirmed that he is still working at CNN and explained that the photo of him in the BBC studio, shared in his initial post, was taken three years ago during his tenure at the news organization.

"This was an April Fool's joke. I'm still at CNN. But my last job was at BBC in Washington, and this is a real photo from 2020," Madowo clarified.

Larry Madowo Pulse Live Kenya

Larry Madowo's career timeline

Larry Madowo joined CNN in May 2021, following his departure from the BBC. Within a few months of joining CNN, he was promoted from correspondent in Nairobi to an international journalist.

Before his CNN stint, Madowo had worked at the BBC as a North American correspondent in Washington.

He also served as a popular presenter for the BBC World News America program, which is broadcast globally and on PBS stations across the United States.