Guto Harri brands GB News ‘an absurd parody’ after his suspension for taking the knee
Battle for the soul of GB News: Suspended Remainer host Guto Harri slams channel for moving to the ‘far right’ after his anti-racism protest was blamed for audience plunge – as Nigel Farage gets a show and promises never to take the knee
- Presenter Guti Harri took the knee during his GB News show and was suspended
- Viewers of the new TV station threatened a boycott following the ‘woke gesture’
- Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, 57, has been unveiled as a new presenter
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Suspended GB News presenter and Europhile Guto Harri last night accused the ‘anti-woke’ channel of moving to the far-Right after his on-air anti-racism protest was blamed for a plunge in viewers amid a viewer boycott.
Mr Harri, a former aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he was Mayor of London, was publicly reprimanded by GB News executives and forced out after taking the knee in solidarity with black England football stars who received racist abuse after the Euros final.
Critics have previously pointed out how anyone who takes a knee, including police officers and sports stars, risks being seen to endorse some of the Left-wing ideas promoted by the Black Lives Matter movement as well as opposing racism.
In an extraordinary swipe at the TV channel, ex-BBC political correspondent Mr Harri has claimed GB News told him off for ‘offending the lynch mob’ despite allegedly warning producers in advance that he was considering making the gesture. He claims he was given direction about how to take the knee by producers.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Mr Harri said he was engulfed by a ‘tsunami of disappointment, resentment and hate’, adding: ‘Old friends were amused to see me described as woke and Marxist. By Thursday night, the boss called and I’d been taken off air for the summer.’
The pro-EU pundit said: ‘The channel is rapidly becoming an absurd parody of what it proclaimed to be. Rather than defending free speech and confronting cancel culture, it has set out to replicate it on the far-Right.’
He also defended his actions, alleging that it was wrong to suggest his anti-racism protest was responsible for the decline in viewer numbers – which he claims ‘dropped pretty swiftly after launch and kept slipping’.
In a possible bid to revive audience ratings, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is set to head up a new primetime programme at 7pm from tomorrow. The Brexiteer has vowed not to take the knee and called on the public to support his new venture in a social media announcement.
Guto Harri, pictured, was suspended by GB News after he took a knee live on air causing outrage among the station’s viewers
Nigel Farage is set to host his new prime time GB News show from Monday, July 19
Mr Farage had promised a ‘big career change’ earlier today as speculation mounted that he was set to join GB News on a permanent basis. He told his 1.6 million Twitter followers to ‘watch this space’, with an announcement coming this afternoon.
Announcing his new role on GB News, he said: ‘Since politics I have done a fair bit of broadcasting. Broadcasting matters, it really does. It gets people to look at issues, think about issues in different ways and be very influential.
Mr Farage referenced his previous three year tenure on LBC, and his YouTube channel that has more than 270,000 subscribers. He promised to take up broadcasting on ‘a regular basis’, as he revealed the finer details of his new show Farage.
A source at GB News previously told MailOnline: ‘Farage already has a weekend show on GB News, but yes you’re right in thinking he is getting a more regular slot.’ They suggested that the 57-year-old’s new role will see him make a daily appearance on the channel.
Rumours of the addition were already swirling on social media. One Twitter user wrote: ‘GB News here he comes’, while another said: ‘I’m thinking a roving reporter out and about on GB News would be great.’
‘The new boss of GB News,’ predicted another.
The ex-UKIP leader, 57, will host ‘Farage’ at 7pm on the national news channel from Monday, July 19
Farage teased his expected GB News announcement on Twitter on Saturday morning
GB News chairman Andrew Neil issued a rallying cry Friday night amid a public row over one of its presenters taking the knee live on air
Mr Harri’s gesture last week sparked a viewer boycott with several GB News shows attracting zero viewers in the wake of the segment. He was suspended by the channel and replaced on air after GB News bosses sent out a tweet condemning him for taking the knee.
GB News said on Twitter: ‘GB News stands four square against racism in all its forms. We do not have a company line on taking the knee. Some of our guests have been in favour, some against. All are anti-racist. We have editorial standards that all GB News journalists uphold.
‘On Tuesday a contributing presenter took the knee live on air and this was an unacceptable breach of our standards. We let both sides of the argument down by oversimplifying a very complex issue.’
Defending his actions, Cardiff-born Mr Harri said: ‘GB News is – above all – about free speech; having the debates others won’t.
‘English footballers have made it clear that when they take the knee they are making a clear statement about rejecting racism (not endorsing the narrow divisive aims of BLM). I support them.’
John McAndrew, who previously insisted the channel would be a ‘place for everyone’, is reported to have resigned from GB News after clashing with bosses on its direction.
Amid a Twitter backlash from social media users baffled by Mr Harri’s gesture on the ‘anti-woke’ channel, GB News publicly rebuked its presenter. It said on its official Twitter account: ‘GB News stands four square against racism in all its forms. We do not have a company line on taking the knee’
Meanwhile, the channel’s figurehead Andrew Neil took to Twitter on Friday night to defend the young news service.
The veteran broadcaster broke his silence on the raging row with a candid statement, in which he admitted ‘start ups are fraught and fractious’.
But Mr Neil, who is currently taking a break from hosting the channel, said the future remained bright for GB News – despite viewing figures falling-off since its launch last month.
In a rallying cry posted on Twitter, the broadcaster said: ‘Start ups are fraught and fractious GB News is no exception.
‘But the news channel is finding its feet and has a great future. Watch this space.’
