He may have worked for the BBC for a quarter of a century but politics presenter Andrew Neil, who quit last year, has claimed that little attempt was made to make him stay.
The former Sunday Times editor suggests that if the Corporation had shown him more loyalty, he might not have left to chair new channel GB News, which launches later this month.
And he admits that while his attempts to sign Piers Morgan have so far failed – he has not given up on signing him in the future.
The Scottish broadcaster, 72, admits he was disappointed when The Andrew Neil Show was axed in 2020 and talks about an interview show on BBC1 stalled.
Previously, from 2003 to 2018, he fronted Daily Politics on BBC2 plus This Week on BBC1, which ended a year later in 2019.
“What they did was unnecessary and I left with a heavy heart,” he told Radio Times. “There was almost no contact with me whatsoever, which did rankle, but what’s done is done. I have not dwelt on it.”
He insisted that he has “no fight” with the BBC. “I must be the only presenter on the BBC who has stepped down and not rushed in and given them a kicking. I’ve not done that and don’t intend to.”
American-style news channel GB News launches on Sunday promising big-name anchors with strong opinions, including Simon McCoy, Alastair Stewart and Kirst Gallacher.
Neil, who will host a primetime evening show, says it will feature “robust, balanced debate and a range of perspectives on the issues that affect everyone in the UK, not just those living in the London area”.
Most of the viewers, he feels, will be those who have given up watching news programmes or didn’t watch them in the first place.
He hinted that former Good Morning Britain host Morgan might join at a later date, insisting: “He has a different timetable to us. He wants to have a reasonably leisurely summer, and who can blame him? He doesn’t need the money!
“You don’t need everything for the launch. It’s always good to have a relaunch or a refreshment down the road and maybe Piers could be part of that.”
He said that conversations had taken place but not about a rival to his old ITV programme.
“All my indications are that Piers doesn’t want another breakfast show. But I think if he does any more British news TV it’s more likely to be with us than with anybody else.
“He knows that we feel that he would be a great addition to the line-up.”
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