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Elaine McCallig
Sep 23, 2021
Veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil’s departure from GB News has been marred in controversy.
After leaving the channel that has only been on-air since June, Neil appeared on BBC Question Time to address his departure from the channel.
Although the former BBC presenter rather reservedly said the channel was going in a direction contrary to what he had envisioned, he hinted that the British channel may be more like FOX News than he’d like.
Hitting back at claims made on Question Time, GB News said “a number of demonstrably untrue remarks” were made on the programme.
The drama has since come to a head last night, with Neil tweeting that he “couldn’t be happier” to be away from the channel after his exit deal was apparently cancelled.
After weeks of talks with @GBNEWS, resulting in exit settlement, the channel then broke it by briefing Mail on Sund… https://t.co/X2Ce0Sz15l— Andrew Neil (@Andrew Neil) 1632347884
He wrote: “After weeks of talks with GB News, resulting in exit settlement, the channel then broke it by briefing Mail on Sunday with load of smears/lies then unilaterally cancelling exit deal. Leaving me free to do, say whatever I want + never again be on GBNews. Couldn’t be happier.”
After leaving, the plan was that Neil would be a regular contributor to the channel’s programmes. However, as things turned sour, The Spectator chairman’s appearance on Nigel Farage’s show on Monday was pulled.
At the weekend, the Mail on Sunday published details from a leaked internal memo that allegedly shows that Neil would have been sacked from his position as chairman and presenter of GB News before he left.
The memo, allegedly from channel chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos, outlined that the board was ready to “terminate his position”.
After tweeting that he “couldn’t be happier” to sever ties with the channel last night, he reshared a tweet from June where he outlined the “great figures” garnered by the new channel, saying his show had three times the audience of Sky News.
Resharing the tweet late last night, he wrote: “Shows the promise that could have been…”
Shows the promise that could have been … https://t.co/iYdy9BVTXG— Andrew Neil (@Andrew Neil) 1632351820
Opinion on Twitter was split, with some expressing their dismay that he stepped away from the channel, with one commenter saying “it’s important that GB News is a success” to “fight and win the culture war.”
Others said GB News is “better without” him, and slammed him for “smearing the channel.”
@afneil @GBNEWS Your loss. GB News is better without you & Brazier is superb— Judith Dickinson (@Judith Dickinson) 1632348771
@afneil @GBNEWS You remain the best broadcast journalist in the country by far and i will always respect you for th… https://t.co/1xccVnsgv7— British Alba (@British Alba) 1632372763
@afneil @GBNEWS You’re not just smearing the channel. You’re also smearing your @GBNEWS colleagues aswell. So disappointed in you Andrew. 😞— Lilibet (@Lilibet) 1632348092
@afneil @GBNEWS After the way you smeared on Question Time you deserved it. Very disappointed in you; GB News goes… https://t.co/lzE6z3Sxmj— Florence 🦖 (@Florence 🦖) 1632350627
Others however took on a “you made your bed so lie in it” stance on the debacle.
@Bifidigestivum @afneil @GBNEWS “I set up GB news by mistake” https://t.co/q7spzwfqF6— David Cooper (@David Cooper) 1632348168
@afneil @GBNEWS Staaap it Andrew Neil 😂 You mean the #GBnews you staked your reputation on did the dirty on you?! Y… https://t.co/nlY1qe7OAk— Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu) 1632349129
@afneil @GBNEWS https://t.co/QvJw7kEFo5— 🐝-List At Capital (@🐝-List At Capital) 1632348443
This reads like Andrew Neil is just a tiny bit bitter about how and why he parted company with @GBNEWS https://t.co/llNNKugtDO— Diane Abbott MP (@Diane Abbott MP) 1632386196
@afneil It’s been a flop tbh. Could have been so much better.— Chief Editor | MG (@Chief Editor | MG) 1632350321
@afneil @GBNEWS You got cancelled by your own channel Andrew. Round of applause.— Red Robin 🏳️🌈 (@Red Robin 🏳️🌈) 1632348651
@afneil @GBNEWS https://t.co/6Pgp2TG7aT— Ed McConnell (@Ed McConnell) 1632347921
Some expressed their support for Neil, saying they are looking forward to seeing what he does next.
@afneil @GBNEWS Sorry you had to go through all that crap You should be running the show not having all the this… https://t.co/e7EHOfHgY3— Ian Puddick (@Ian Puddick) 1632347968
@afneil @GBNEWS I mean, come on, we literally all told you this would happen. That said, it’s very good news and I… https://t.co/yPUHZOiPcK— Robin Meltzer (@Robin Meltzer) 1632348183
@afneil @GBNEWS The only reason @gbnews got any platform was having you on Entirely their loss, and showing their… https://t.co/BYpY8m6mxo— La Lorimer 💙 (@La Lorimer 💙) 1632348145
Although the Scottish journalist isn’t currently on our TVs, there is a new TV channel launching soon that may have a number of broadcast vacancies coming up in the future...
Indy100 has approached GB News for comment.
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