GB News chairman Andrew Neil has spoken out about the channel’s first month of broadcasting, amid a backlash over one of its presenters taking the knee and low viewing figures.
As discussions continued over whether the men’s England football team should have taken the knee during their Euro 2020 matches – an anti-racist gesture made popular through the Black Lives Matter movement – GB News presenter Guto Harri took the knee live on air on Tuesday.
“It’s an important gesture,” he said.
In a hilarious case of irony, viewers chose to boycott the ‘anti-woke’ news channel, with GB News reportedly attracting zero viewers at some points during this week – according to the ratings agency Barb.
On Thursday, GB News issued a statement criticising its own presenter, saying that while they “do not have a company line on taking the knee”, Harri’s actions were “an unacceptable breach of our standards”.
The comment was mocked by users online as being “contradictory”, and others pointed out that the channel, which was against so-called ‘cancel culture’, had effectively ‘cancelled’ one of its own presenters.
However, Andrew Neil, who chose to take a break from his flagship 8pm programme for a “few weeks”, took to Twitter to defend the channel after its rocky start.
“Start ups are fraught and fractious. @GBNews is no exception. But the news channel is finding its feet and has a great future. Watch this space,” he tweeted.
Start ups are fraught and fractious. @GBNEWS is no exception. But the news channel is finding its feet and has a great future. Watch this space.
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) July 16, 2021
The former BBC News presenter’s comments have since been met with ridicule, with many referencing the channel’s tumbling viewership and its statement on Harris’ knee-taking:
After not tweeting about the channel since July 6th. https://t.co/GsUuVt3dCa
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 16, 2021
I’m sure your zero viewers are looking forward to what comes next
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) July 16, 2021
'Watch this space"
— James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) July 16, 2021
Hope it's better to watch than your TV channel
But it can’t be anti-cancel-culture while cancelling its own presenters over their standpoints. All credibility destroyed.
— Z3E (@zonethreeeast) July 16, 2021
Your anti-cancel culture channel has cancelled one of its own journalists. I think that's jumping the shark.
— TonyCross (@Lokster71) July 16, 2021
If I watch that space I'll double the ratings
— Gordon McIntosh 🇪🇺 #FBPE 🇪🇺 💙 (@Gordy_Mc1ntosh) July 16, 2021
Andrew. Kneel.
— Count Binface (@CountBinface) July 16, 2021
Even guests on their actual shows couldn’t resist making a joke.
Spot the hidden message.
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 17, 2021
(via the many people who sent me this) pic.twitter.com/7amOf8Odlf
Others, meanwhile, got behind the journalist and the channel:
Nevermind the haters, Andrew. You know you're doing something right if it attracts this kind of passionate response from them. 👍😉 Don't give in and keep up the great work! 💪 Loads of us are cheering you on.
— Zmajka 🐉 (@Ja_Zmajka) July 16, 2021
Thank you, that needed to be said.
— Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) July 16, 2021
What you need more than anything else at the moment is an hourly news roundup, it’s really missing that and feels a bit too much like a day long chat show at times
— ♦️ Cathy ♦️ (@SaltyDuchess) July 16, 2021
Still supporting, it has so much potential ❤️
I agree absolutely. Well done for sticking it out despite all of those trying to destroy you. Their fear of your new channel speaks volumes. Why are they afraid?
— lindaoutofafrica (@outofafrica46) July 16, 2021
People need to remember that there’s a huge interest in seeing it fail. Those same people are precisely the reason why there’s a need for it to succeed.
— Andrew Storey 🏴🇬🇧🌹 (@astorey88) July 16, 2021
We also can’t escape the prospect that some people may be working there to sabotage its success, sleeper cell-esque.
Cant believe how swiftly GB News was set up! They have done incredibly well in month one considering all the new relationships between co-presenters. It’s been a delight to completely switch off BBC! Go GB News! It can only get better! Well done @afneil would love to join you!
— Jean Anne Mitchell (@JeanAnneJam) July 16, 2021
Clearly, GB News is struggling to stand on its own two feet – probably because one of its presenters has taken the knee live on air…
