It seems these days that the BBC is doing a better job of creating the news than presenting it. Today’s row is about one of the broadcaster’s stars entering into a spat with Reform’s Nigel Farage — and losing rather spectacularly…
The I’m a Celeb finalist was out today helping promote Richard Tice’s party in Dover as he made his first big speech of the election campaign. At a gathering of party supporters and journalists, Farage spoke of immigration problems seen in Europe. Quoting remarks made by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Reform founder pointed to ‘the wave of — and I’m using his words not mine — “aggressive, young males” that are coming into Poland’ adding: ‘He has said that this is now a matter of national security’.
While Farage’s words went down well with Reform loyalists, BBC presenter Geeta Guru-Murthy couldn’t quite manage to hide her disdain for the former Ukip leader. ‘Nigel Farage with his, um… customary inflammatory language there at a Reform UK press conference,’ she announced dispassionately to the public broadcaster’s viewership. So much for political neutrality.
Guru-Murthy, the sister of Channel 4’s more famous Krishnan, immediately sparked something of a storm online. Beeb bosses duly forced the star into making an apology, with the presenter issuing a grovelling statement less than two hours after her improvised remarks:
Earlier today we heard live from Nigel Farage, speaking at that election event we just saw. When we came away from his live speech, I used language to describe it which didn’t meet the BBC’s editorial standards on impartiality. I’d like to apologise to Mr Farage and viewers for this.
The public service broadcaster has already lost a number of its presenters — including Emily Maitlis, who admitted she was ‘frustrated’ at being ‘ticked off’ by BBC bosses over impartiality complaints. Might Guru-Murthy be next? Watch this space…
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