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Liam O'Dell
Jul 17, 2021
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 gr… https://t.co/CgmURPQma9— Andrew Neil (@Andrew Neil) 1626454866
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 (@Scott Bryan) 1626456841
@afneil @GBNEWS I’m sure your zero viewers are looking forward to what comes next— James Felton (@James Felton) 1626458123
@afneil @GBNEWS 'Watch this space" Hope it's better to watch than your TV channel— James Doleman (@James Doleman) 1626455317
@afneil @GBNEWS Your anti-cancel culture channel has cancelled one of its own journalists. I think that's jumping the shark.— TonyCross (@TonyCross) 1626455155
@afneil @GBNEWS If I watch that space I'll double the ratings— Gordon McIntosh 🇪🇺 #FBPE 🇪🇺 💙 (@Gordon McIntosh 🇪🇺 #FBPE 🇪🇺 💙) 1626460050
@afneil @GBNEWS Andrew. Kneel.— Count Binface (@Count Binface) 1626476400
Even guests on their actual shows couldn’t resist making a joke.
Spot the hidden message. (via the many people who sent me this) https://t.co/7amOf8Odlf— Scott Bryan (@Scott Bryan) 1626511194
Others, meanwhile, got behind the journalist and the channel:
@afneil @GBNEWS Thank you, that needed to be said.— Calvin (@Calvin) 1626455172
@afneil @GBNEWS What you need more than anything else at the moment is an hourly news roundup, it’s really missing… https://t.co/2X06DPSBtN— ♦️ Cathy ♦️ (@♦️ Cathy ♦️) 1626458229
@afneil @GBNEWS I agree absolutely. Well done for sticking it out despite all of those trying to destroy you. Their… https://t.co/GtgEd6ZboX— lindaoutofafrica (@lindaoutofafrica) 1626455213
@afneil @GBNEWS People need to remember that there’s a huge interest in seeing it fail. Those same people are preci… https://t.co/0Cfmkv2vHI— Andrew Storey 🏴🇬🇧🌹 (@Andrew Storey 🏴🇬🇧🌹) 1626455126
@afneil @GBNEWS Cant believe how swiftly GB News was set up! They have done incredibly well in month one considerin… https://t.co/sxpjFym7DA— Jean Anne Mitchell (@Jean Anne Mitchell) 1626455452
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…