Andrew Neil has said that he is looking for presenters with 'edge, personality and a bit of attitude' for his new GB News channel.
Plans for the new service were formally announced last week, with veteran broadcaster Neil leaving the BBC to take up the position of chairman and main figurehead of the station when it launches in the New Year.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Neil explained how the channel's approach intends to differ significantly from the rolling news operations offered by the likes of BBC News and Sky News.
"There would be no point doing what's already done pretty well by the existing incumbents," he said.
"It will not be a rolling news channel - it will be based more like MSNBC in America, which is on the left, and FOX, which is on the right. They don't do rolling news. They do news when it breaks, but they don't do the continuous rolling news.
"They segment the day into individual, news-based programmes built around very strong presenters. That's what we'll do too - anchors with a bit of edge, bit of personality, bit of attitude and people will make an appointment to view them."
He continued: "Rolling news in Britain doesn't attract many viewers. It gets viewers when there's big news - the Gulf War or the breakout of the pandemic - but when that news fades somewhat, so do the ratings.
"They don't stay high, whereas with American news networks they've found that if they do specific programming they actually rate very well and that's what we're going to try to do."
Neil also confirmed that his own show on GB News will air in the 8pm hour on Mondays to Thursdays.
Neil Wilkes
Follow us on Bluesky or on X/Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.
