BORIS Johnson has been put on the spot over suggestions he endangered “national treasure” David Attenborough by not wearing a mask while sitting next to him.

A picture of the Prime Minister slumping in his chair, without a face covering on, next to the environmentalist at the COP26 opening ceremony has gone viral on social media.

The Tory leader, who looked as if we was dozing in the photograph, was condemned for failing to keep a mask on while in the company of 95-year-old Attenborough and 72-year-old UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

Other photos from the event show Johnson wearing a mask, and Attenborough without one.

The National:

Both men spoke at the opening ceremony and removed their face coverings to do so.

Johnson was grilled about the incident by CNN host Christine Amanpour.

Referencing the viral photo, the Prime Minister appeared to be surprised, giving the interviewer a quizzical look as she explained “it’s all over the place” on social media.

“You weren’t wearing a mask yesterday sitting next to 95-year-old national treasure David Attenborough,” Amanpour explained.

Johnson issued a stumbling response, stating: "I've been wearing masks in confined spaces with people I don't normally talk to ... it's up to people to take a judgment whether they're at a reasonable distance from someone ... that's the approach we take."

READ MORE: I've been covering COP for two days, and I'm already sick of the hypocrisy

No 10 has insisted it was “total nonsense” to suggest Johnson was asleep during the opening ceremony.

A Downing Street spokesman told the Mirror: "The Prime Minister has abided by the COVID guidance at COP throughout.

"As you know attendees and delegates are not required to wear face masks when they are seated as per the guidance and he will continue to abide by all the rules that are in place while he's up in Glasgow."

The Tory leader was roundly condemned on social media over the photo.

"It’s one thing to show how little you care but quite another [to] sit next to 95 year old David Attenborough and NOT wear a MASK,” Labour MP Anna McMorrin tweeted.

The party’s shadow trade minister Bill Esterson added: " Boris Johnson chose not to wear a mask sat next to David Attenborough at #COP26 Attenborough is 95 and is at a very high risk from Covid.

"Wearing a mask protects other people yet Johnson couldn’t be bothered to protect Attenborough from Covid. Says it all about Johnson."

Johnson and other world leaders were also pictured without masks at a COP26 event later that evening.

Heads of states and government chiefs gathered at the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow on Monday evening for an exclusive dinner that was guarded by hundreds of police and led to road closures across the area.

In attendance were prince William and Kate, the Earl and Countess of Strathearn, prince Charles and Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, along with Johnson and leaders from around the world who are attending the climate summit, including Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

They were seen without face masks at the event, despite the Scottish Government having clear rules that face coverings should be worn at all indoor locations, including museums to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.