Tom Bradby, anchor of ITN’s relaunched News at Ten, has hit back at BBC rival Huw Edwards, who gloated on social media about the revamped programme’s viewing figures.
Edwards, 54, expressed gleeful claims on Twitter and Facebook that Bradby attracted just 2 million viewers as sole presenter of ITV’s new-look news bulletin when it broadcast for the first time last week.
While wishing ITV well, Edwards wrote on Facebook: “Last night they just about managed 2m (having conspired to lose 4.2m viewers in a few minutes after the excellent Doc Martin). We were watched by 4.4m. So it’s business as usual, whatever the papers say. Now back to work with a smile.”
In his first response in what has become known as the “battle of the bongs”, Bradby, 48, expressed his bafflement at the BBC reply.
Writing in the Sunday Times, the former ITN political editor likened the BBC’s behaviour to imperial Rome, and suggested the corporation wanted to put its rival out of business.
Bradby said: “I can’t disguise the fact that I found the BBC’s subsequent response baffling. You are the giant on the block; we get it! But isn’t it a good thing that we are trying to innovate and challenge you? Wanting to beat your competition is one thing, but wanting them out of business is another matter altogether.”
He added: “Our ratings will go up. They will go down. But the fact that I am writing this is an indication that we are more talked about than we have been for a long while. I would urge you to give us a try. I hope you will find us more thoughtful and a lot more engaging than our rivals.”
