Michael Crick chucked off GB News for calling station ‘right-wing channel’

The ‘Free Speech channel’ cut to a break to eject Michael Crick from a panel of guests during the live broadcast of Neil Oliver Live earlier this evening.

Michael Crick on social media:

“I’ve just been expelled from GBNews studio after being invited there to criticise Brian Rose, 2021 London mayoral candidate, & then – when asked why I thought Ofcom should close GBNews down – I said because it’s a right-wing channel dominated by Tory & Brexit Party politicians… The overall topic – freedom of speech.”

GB News, which calls itself ‘Britain’s News Channel‘ despite not being a news channel is nicknamed ‘Britain’s Tory Channel‘ due to the number of Conservative MPs or right-leaning former MPs it has on its on-screen presenting rota.

The channel observes TV regulator Ofcom’s impartiality rules by having token ‘left’ or ‘centric’ guests on shows, however as seen in Tory MP Lee Anderson’s programme they are treated to being placed in a joke ‘Left in the Corner’ area, seemingly mocking the Ofcom rules. Other programmes, such as the 9 pm slot, more often than not have right-leaning hosts, two right-leaning panellists and one from another political view – however this is again due to regulation rather, it appears, than want following tonight’s incident which suggests the station’s ‘free speech’ is only what suits it.

Crick also attacked regulator Ofcom on the programme when Oliver questioned why Crick had said GB News ‘should be shut down’. “You’re bias and right wing. I’ve been fighting bias in television for a very long time and it’s one of the reasons I left Channel 4 News cos I thought it was left-wing bias, and I think Ofcom who are one of the weakest institutions on the planet should get a grip on you lot. I mean its absurd that you have Tory MP, after Tory MP, after Tory MP. Two leaders of the Brexit party…”. The TV regulator has been ‘weakened’ via successive governments from the days in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s when the Independent Television Authority (later Independent Broadcasting Authority) did have the powers to take more charge of dubious television.

GB News is an outlet often quick to criticise other broadcasters, the BBC particularly, however the Beeb has often aired criticism of itself and has even aired programming that took a critical view of Beeb actions such as Open Air, Points of View, News Watch and Bite Back.

GB News, Michael Crick just before he was asked to leave the studio

‘Left in the Corner’ the ‘hilarious’ leftie section of Tory MP’s Lee Anderson’s show

Michael Crick on social media:

“Eventually, during a break, an angry producer of the programme marched in and said “Out”, and pointing at me, “You, Out!” He said I’d refused to “move on”, in terms of topic. Gosh, he was furious. So anyway, I left.”

GB News has been investigated several times over content and comments, including impartiality concerning Tory MP hosts. Most have been upheld. Continuing in their Tory MP (current and past) roll call this week the channel announced that disgraced Boris Johnson would be joining their lineup along with others such as Jacob Rees-Mogg, Esther McVey, Michael Portillo, Lee Anderson and Philip Davies.

In response to the on-air debacle writer and broadcaster Matthew Sweet noted on X, “This show has booked Holocaust deniers and people who believe in the Protocols, and is the premier media safe space for anti-vax conspiracy theorists. But it’s chucked out Michael Crick for pointing out the official party political allegiances of the presenters on the channel.“

Neil Oliver Live is described as celebrating the best of Britain – but also getting Neil’s unique perspective on the major stories. The GB News PR adds that Neil brings ‘context and lessons from history as he articulates life in Britain today.’

The Financial Times reported earlier this week that several presenters had been issued shares in GB News including Jacob Rees-Mogg, ex-Tory and UKIP politician Nigel Farage and currently suspended Dan Wootton – who has been at the centre of a sexual perversion scandal as reported by Byline Times.

However, showing the high moral standards (or lack of), GB News – didn’t take him off the air for those many pages of reported alleged incidents now with the police; controversial comments made by Laurence Fox and Wootton’s alleged support of them saw Dan pulled off the schedules, and Fox was fired. The newspaper notes that the shares were issued earlier this year and before the controversies. Dan, a tabloid hack, who has been at the centre of many newspaper articles which invaded the privacy of many celebrities, has asked for privacy during his difficult time.