GB News attracted zero viewers during some of its broadcasts this week, according to official audience figures.
The Guardian reports that following a boycott after one of the controversial network’s presenters taking the knee in solidarity with the England football team, audience viewers plummeted.
The channel has since issued a statement apologising for the gesture, adding it was “an unacceptable breach of our standards”.
According to The Guardian, who analysed rating agency BARB data, business editor Liam Halligan and former Labour MP gloria De Piero attracted no measurable audience between 1pm and 1.30pm on Wednesday afternoon.
At the same time, the BBC News channel had 62,000 viewers, while Sky News had 50,000.
On Tuesday a contributing presenter took the knee live on air and this was an unacceptable breach of our standards.
— GB News (@GBNEWS) July 15, 2021
Later, ex-BBC presenter Simon McCoy’s slot with former UKIP spokesperson Alex Phillips also dropped to zero at 5pm.
Furious GB News viewers announced plans for a boycott after Guto Harri took the knee – despite those within the organisation saying the channel was “to encourage free debate”.
Scottish presenter and former Coast star Neil Oliver defended Harri.
He said: ““My GB News teammate Guto Harri is right to say and do as he sees fit. I do the same. That’s the ethos of the channel. Free speech.
“We don’t all agree with each other – that’s the point, or else where’s the debate?”
READ MORE: GB News' Andrew Neil takes 'break' from presenting duties after just two weeks
Last night, the channel was accused of contradiction among social media users.
They first posted: “GB News stands four square against racism in all its forms. We do not have a company line on taking the knee. Some of our guests have been in favour, some against. All are anti-racist. We have editorial standards that all GB News journalists uphold.”
However, later added: “On Tuesday a contributing presenter took the knee live on air and this was an unacceptable breach of our standards … We let both sides of the argument down by oversimplifying a very complex issue.”
The BARB figures show the channel did recover from the plummet to zero, attracting 47,000 viewers during Dan Wooton’s late night show.
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