Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

GB News ‘had zero viewers on shows' after presenter took the knee on air

GB News ‘had zero viewers on shows' after presenter took the knee on air

Some GB News programmes garnered zero viewers after a presenter sparked a boycott for taking the knee live on air in solidarity with the England men’s football team, it has been reported.

On Tuesday, GB News presenter Guto Harri said that he understood why England footballers refused to listen to critics when they chose to take the knee in a demonstration against racism, kneeling down live on air as he described the act as an ‘important gesture’.

In a statement, GB News said that while it does not ‘have a company line on taking the knee’, the taking of the knee live on air ‘was an unacceptable breach of our standards’.

Following the call by some viewers to boycott GB News over Guto’s anti-racism demonstration, with some saying they thought the channel had become ‘too woke’, it has since emerged that several segments aired the following day did not attract an audience large enough to be measured.

According to The Guardian, audience figures produced by rating agency Barb showed that on Wednesday, a show hosted by business editor Liam Halligan and former Labour MP Gloria De Piero from 1pm to 1.30pm ‘attracted no measurable audience’.

Guto Harri said he understood why England’s footballers take the knee


Over on BBC News, 62,000 viewers tuned in to watch the competitor’s channel at the same time, with 50,000 viewers over on Sky News.

Meanwhile, later on in the afternoon at 5pm, the viewing figures of GB News reportedly declined again while Simon McCoy and Alex Phillips were on air.

In the GB News statement on Guto’s decision to take the knee following the barrage of racism targeted at England football players after the Euro 2020 final, it stressed that the company ‘stands four square against racism in all its forms’.

The channel outlined that it does not ‘have a company line on taking the knee’, with some guests ‘in favour’ and others ‘against’ it.

‘All are anti-racist. We have editorial standards that all GB News journalists uphold,’ it said.

In a second tweet, GB News added: ‘On Tuesday a contributing presenter took the knee live on air and this was an unacceptable breach of our standards.’

Over an hour after releasing the statement, GB News shared a third tweet on the issue, stating: ‘We let both sides of the argument down by oversimplifying a very complex issue.’

Earlier this week, Guto defended taking the knee on air, tweeting that GB News is ‘about free speech’ and ‘having the debates others won’t’.

‘English footballers have made it clear that when they take the knee they are making a clear statement about rejecting racism (not endorsing the narrow divisive aims of BLM). I support them,’ he said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×