Corporation chief feared impartiality backlash

The BBC reportedly banned Clive Myrie from presenting News At Ten on Friday because he hosted Have I Got News For You an hour  beforehand.

Content chief Charlotte Moore is said to have feared a backlash had the journalist fronted the flagship bulletin so close to making jokes about Boris Johnson on the topical panel show. 

So she pulled him from the broadcast at the last minute, replacing him with  Jane Hill.

Myrie’s quips included  saying: ‘After being found by the House of Commons committee to have lied repeatedly, Boris Johnson takes the opportunity to deny that he’s ever been jogging or has a dog.’ – as footage played of him running in London with his pet Dilyn.

Panelists even joked about Myrie not appearing impartial. At one point Ian Hislop told the audience: ‘You’ll remember you were here for the end of Clive Myrie’s career.’ Paul Merton added: ‘Or the beginning of a new rise.’

A source told The Times: ‘There wasn’t a specific joke which triggered the request. It was more to do with concerns that Clive was doing two very different types of programme within an hour of each other. There was possibly a bit of over-caution, which felt a bit over the top to most people in news.’

A BBC executive added: ‘It didn’t feel right for Clive to go almost straight to the news when he’d just been making jokes. It was a tonal thing rather than due to anyone being overly anxious.’

Published: 22 Jun 2023