"nearly spherical shape"
nearly, so if it still flat, then you could say it maybe halfway to a spherical shape, which could in turn be nearly. Obviously someone at the BBC has left this vital clue in to try and reach out to the masses about the flatness of the earth. Though i know this website is obviously being monitored, a conspiracy this large requires that level of vigilance, i just hope the writer will be ok, a noble noble man he is.