GBeebies Talk Trash - TalkTV to close television channel and move 'online only'

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With no Nigel Farage or Jacob Rees-Mogg to bolster their primetime line-up, GB News ratings declined heavily on Friday (August 4 2023) according to the latest data supplied from BARB, with Conservative Lee Anderson's Real World falling to just 44,000 at 7pm (0.38 per cent share of the TV audience).

Lee Anderson's new show fell behind BBC News (88,000, 0.71 per cent) and Sky News (55,000, 0.47 per cent) in the 7pm hour.

Real World's highest rating to date came back in late June, with Anderson's show peaking at 83,000. This is in stark contrast to an increasingly popular Nigel Farage, bolstered by recent controversy of his bank accounts, who managed a high of 198,000 viewers on Wednesday 26th July.

Viewership declined further at 8pm, with former actor turned campaigner Laurence Fox pulling in just 23,000 and a 0.18 per cent share of the audience.

The highest rated programme of the day was comedian Mark Dolan, with Mark Dolan Tonight averaging 55,000 at 9pm until 11pm (a 0.53 per cent share).

Byline Times wrote:GB News settled an employment claim for a five-figure sum in which sexual harassment was alleged against its chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos – and shut down serious racism and bullying allegations raised by two other journalists with further pay-outs and gagging agreements, Byline Times can reveal.

And in two separate workplace incidents involving other GB News executives, a woman went on sick leave after allegedly being told she was “so ugly” she should “put a bag” on her head and that she should “open” her “legs” to win a promotion. Rather than taking legal action, she is said to have quietly left her job in disgust.

GB News’ position is that it doesn’t have a toxic workplace culture and that the company enjoys a good relationship with current and former employees.

The claim naming Mr Frangopoulos, a married father of five, made allegations that he propositioned and declared feelings for a female member of staff in a late-night phone call after work drinks in 2021.

Having been rebuffed, Mr Frangopoulos then allegedly undermined and marginalised the woman in her role before she left and got employment lawyers to negotiate a settlement with the channel.

A source with knowledge of the case said: “She felt ostracised, bullied and became psychologically distressed, essentially for turning down someone’s advances.”

I’m very grateful to News UK for giving me so many opportunities with The Sun, the Times titles, and the move to broadcast. Helping to launch Times Radio and then a new TV channel 18 months ago has been a huge privilege. It feels now is the right time though for me to move on.



“An incredible year in politics on both sides of the Atlantic is coming up and that has created a new opportunity, which I’m looking forward to. I also hope to keep contributing to News UK titles.

“I’m going to take a well-needed break first and concentrate on recharging the batteries. It’s been a busy couple of decades. I look forward to the next challenge.”

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GB News has issued an apology and launched an investigation after it aired “totally inappropriate” comments by the actor and Reclaim party founder, Laurence Fox, about the journalist Ava Evans.

Fox made a series of derogatory comments about Evans, a political correspondent for online news site Joe, during an interview with presenter Dan Wootton on Tuesday night.

Evans posted the clip of the segment to X, formerly known as Twitter, with the comment: “Laurence Fox just did a whole speech on GB News on why men apparently won’t shag me,” adding in a reply: “I feel physically sick.”

Shortly after GB News issued a statement saying Fox’s stance “does not reflect our values”.

“Comments made tonight on GB News by Laurence Fox were totally unacceptable,” the station said in a response posted to X. “What he said does not reflect our values and we apologise unreservedly for the comments and the offence they have caused. We have launched an investigation and will be apologising to the individual involved.”

On Tuesday night, Wootton apologised as well, saying: “Dear @AvaSantina I think you’re brilliant … I apologise for what was said during the course of my show and should have done this immediately on air. This is not what our channel is about.”

Wootton issued another apology on Wednesday morning, saying: “I want to reiterate my regret over last night’s exchange with Laurence on GB News. Having looked at the footage, I can see how inappropriate my reaction to his totally unacceptable remarks appears to be and want to be clear that I was in no way amused by the comments.”

In the segment Fox had called Evans a “little woman” and went on to say: “Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman ever, ever, who wasn’t an fedora-wearing misogynist.

“We need powerful, strong amazing women who make great points for themselves. We don’t need these sort of feminist 4.0. They’re pathetic and embarrassing. Who’d want to shag that?”

As both Fox and Wootton laughed, Fox added: “Sorry, it’s true though.”

The segment was in response to comments made by Evans during an appearance on BBC Politics Live on Monday about men’s mental health. After her appearance she said: “I was a little rash on my anti-minister for men comments which I do regret and am actually very interested in a brief for a minister on young men’s mental health.”

Wootton raised her response with Fox, saying: “I’m just going to provide a touch of balance from her because she did actually respond to this earlier today, saying that she regretted her comments, but she didn’t apologise.”

Wootton added: “Uh, yes. So there you go. And she’s a very beautiful woman Laurence, very beautiful.”
The footage of Fox sparked outrage.

Writing on X, Conservative peer Daniel Finkelstein said: “Oh my God this is truly appalling. Even for the two individuals involved this was a new low.”

On Tuesday night, Wootton apologised as well, saying: “Dear @AvaSantina I think you’re brilliant … I apologise for what was said during the course of my show and should have done this immediately on air. This is not what our channel is about.”

Wootton issued another apology on Wednesday morning, saying: “I want to reiterate my regret over last night’s exchange with Laurence on GB News. Having looked at the footage, I can see how inappropriate my reaction to his totally unacceptable remarks appears to be and want to be clear that I was in no way amused by the comments.”