HMS Queen Elizabeth sounds horn to mark Greg James' first year hosting Radio 1 Breakfast Show

The £3.1bn aircraft carrier exercised its lungs just before 9am to mark Greg James’ first year presenting BBC Radio 1’s Breakfast Show.

Though the gesture may seem random it reignited a running joke Greg began on Radio 1 in February, dubbed the Hootenanny.

The 33-year-old got lorries, cars, buses, cruise liners and the future navy flagship to honk their horns to remake a horn segment from Losing It, a track by Australian DJ Fisher.

Recordings of the horns sounding were edited into the song over the air, prompting a laugh from Greg and Radio 1 listeners.

Portsmouth Naval Base told its Twitter followers not be alarmed when HMS Queen Elizabeth makes her presence known again this morning.

‘At 0845 this morning @HMSQNLZ will be sounding her horn to celebrate @gregjames 's 1 year anniversary of hosting the @BBCR1 Breakfast Show,' it said.

‘Anyone listening in the area - Tweet us and Greg when you hear the blast - we want to know how far away it can be heard! 🎉🎊🎂 #BBCRadio1.’

Floods of tweets were made after the ship sounded its horn for eight seconds.

‘I thought I heard a fog horn on #portsdownhill earlier, I wondered why on such a sunny day.....it must have been HMSQNLZ exercising her big lungs!,' said user MissusLouB.

Portchester Business Centre said: ‘Portchester Business Centre: ‘@HMNBPortsmouth We wondered what we could hear across the water this morning @pbcentre in Portchester, must have been @HMSQNLZ sounding her horn for @gregjames's 1 year anniversary of hosting the @BBCR1 Breakfast Show. ⚓️📯’

While the ICJS, the University of Portsmouth’s account for distance learning undergraduates, added: ‘We heard it in Old Portsmouth, St George's Building! Hooonnnnk! 📣’

A video shot by Derbyshire councillor and sailor James Dawson, watchable above, captured the whole thing as it happened.