U.K. public service broadcaster Channel 4 has taken news anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy off air for a week after an incident on Wednesday where he abused member of parliament Steve Baker off-air.
“Channel 4 has a strict code of conduct for all its employees, including its programming teams and on-air presenters, and takes any breaches seriously. Following an off-air incident Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week,” Channel 4 said in a statement on Thursday.
During the ongoing political chaos in the U.K. government, Guru-Murthy interviewed Baker, a member of the ruling Conservative party. once the interview was concluded, Guru-Murthy referred to Baker as a c**t.
In which Krishnan Guru-Murthy calls Steve Baker a c*nt
— Rupert Myers (@RupertMyers) October 19, 2022
pic.twitter/FZqDy3zvhB
Guru-Murthy subsequently apologized.
“After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air. While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry,” Guru-Murthy tweeted.
After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air. While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) October 19, 2022
Guru-Murthy made the remark off-camera and off-air, after a U.K. parliamentary vote on fracking, following which he interviewed Baker. The voting process was chaotic with several Conservative members of parliament deciding not to back the government.
After the interview, a mic picked up a fragment of a conversation Guru-Murthy had with Baker, where he said: “It wasn’t a stupid question, Steve, you know it. I’m very happy to go up against you on Truss any day.” Following this, Guru-Murthy says to himself: “What a c**t.”
