MX23RW : Tuesday, November 26 23:06:50| >> :600:95328080:95328080:

Andrew Neil slams "UKIP tribute band" GB News

Andrew Neil slams
Andrew Neil launches another fierce attack on GB News following his ill-fated stint at the channel.

Former GB News chairman Andrew Neil has compared the station to a "UKIP tribute band" in his latest savage attack on his ex-employer.

The new news station launched in June promising to offer an alternative to the incumbent news broadcasters but was dogged by a series of technical mishaps in its first few weeks on air.

Neil fronted just two weeks of his flagship show before going on summer holiday, then announced in September that he had exited the venture.

In recent months the broadcaster has undergone multiple changes, including introducing news bulletins and more political programming, while its top-rated show is a weeknight programme hosted by Nigel Farage.

Speaking at Freeview's Outside The Box event, Neil said: "I had two concerns. One was that the production values were not the kind I had envisaged and I couldn't see how they could be rescued. It's not just embarrassing, it's heart-stopping.

"And when I stepped back...in a sense of panic they did start to move in a Fox News direction, which was not for me, so I didn't want to do it.

"It became apparent to me as the months of this year went on that a combination of the board and the founding members, that this was basically a UKIP tribute band, and that's what they really wanted."

He continued: "GB News is still haunted by the shambles of the launch and that will take a long while to overcome. I don't think it will close down, I think the investors are long-term and quite ideological – they like the direction the channel has gone.

"Part of the problem I faced chairing the board is that no-one on it knew anything about TV. They had an ideological view of what they should be doing but didn't know how to go about it. What made it stressful and difficult for me was it was my brand but the tech it was investing in, the people, the studio, weren't mine. That was a stupid mistake on my part."

Neil also revealed that he is keen to do one more project "on the TV front" in the future, explaining: "I don't want GB News to be the full stop on my broadcasting career."

ID:470312:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect2470:

Follow us on X/Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.

Media Mole Black Friday Offer: Get Sky Entertainment, Sky Stream & Netflix for just £19 a month + £0 upfront fee for 24 months!
Prices may change during this period. Ends December 3, 2024


Click here for more stories about Andrew Neil

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
GB News on-air launch imagery
Read Next:
GB News to launch new sports, business shows
>
rhs 2.0
New TV Picks header

Tuesday, November 26


The Great British Bake Off: Channel 4, 8pm
The finale is here and either Christiaan, Dylan or Georgie will be crowned champ. First, Signature scones, afternoon tea and tiered celebration cakes...

EastEnders: iPlayer, from 6am and BBC One, 7.30pm
Will George manage to take Elaine up the aisle?

MasterChef: The Professionals: BBC One, 8pm
Five of the remaining contenders take over London's Market Halls, home to an eclectic mix of pop-up food stalls