Former Broadcaster Sparks Outrage with Inflammatory Remarks
Former TalkTV host Mike Graham is facing mounting pressure and calls for a police investigation after delivering what critics are describing as a hate-filled speech at an anti-refugee demonstration in Chelmsford. The controversial broadcaster, who was dismissed from his role at TalkTV earlier this month following a separate social media controversy, appears to have escalated his inflammatory rhetoric during a public address.
From Facebook Scandal to Public Protest
The 65-year-old journalist's troubles began in October when a deeply offensive post appeared on his Facebook page. The now-deleted content featured an image of Winston Churchill surrounded by diverse individuals, including a woman wearing a hijab, accompanied by a caption containing racial slurs and the phrase: 'Why are we surrounded by non-white people? Just f*** off...'
Graham immediately claimed his account had been compromised, telling TalkTV management that hackers were responsible for the post. However, his subsequent refusal to cooperate with an independent forensic investigation led to his dismissal from the station.
New UK, TalkTV's parent company, released a statement confirming: 'We have been gravely concerned at his repeated failure to cooperate on such a serious matter, and the decision has been taken that Mike Graham will not return to Talk.'
Escalation at Chelmsford Protest
Less than a month after his termination, Graham appeared at a Pink Ladies' anti-refugee protest in Chelmsford where he made even more extreme statements. Video footage captured by attendees shows the former Scottish Mirror editor making specific allegations against asylum seekers.
'Only yesterday, there's another one; some Afghan b*****d has come into this country and sexually assaulted and raped a 12-year-old girl,' Graham told the crowd before making his most controversial assertion: 'I don't care about these BBC types who go "surely you're not saying they're all rapists?" Actually, I am saying they are all f***ing rapists.'
The video, shared extensively on X (formerly Twitter) by users including Emma Dunwell, quickly went viral, sparking immediate condemnation and demands for legal action.
Growing Calls for Police Investigation
Social media users have overwhelmingly called for law enforcement intervention following Graham's speech. Multiple individuals have tagged both Metropolitan and Essex Police forces, urging them to treat the incident as a potential hate crime.
One user, janeparshally, directly addressed the Metropolitan Police stating: 'Met police this appears to be a hate crime. I am hereby reporting it to you as such, and request that you investigate accordingly.'
Other comments reflected similar sentiments, with invisiblebone describing the speech as 'straight up hate speech/inciting racial hatred' and RupertSuperBear calling it 'hate speech pure and simple.' PeterGlynnJones specifically tagged Essex Police asking them to 'look into this incident.'
Life After TalkTV and Selective Editing
Since his departure from mainstream broadcasting, Graham has launched 'The Mike Graham Show – The Home of Common Sense' on YouTube, along with a corresponding website. Interestingly, while the platform features videos from the Chelmsford event, the most inflammatory portions of his speech appear to have been edited out of the published content.
In a blog post addressing his TalkTV exit, Graham remained vague about the circumstances, writing: 'After an incredible journey as the presenter of Morning Glory on TalkTV my time at the station has come to an end – more on that in the coming days.' He thanked his viewers for their 'unwavering support' and described the program as having become a 'community.'
History of Controversial Statements
This isn't the first time Graham has found himself at the centre of public debate for unusual claims. In 2021, he became the subject of widespread mockery during an interview with eco-activist Cameron Ford when he insisted that concrete could be 'grown.'
When challenged by Ford's assertion that 'You can grow trees. You can't grow concrete,' Graham responded 'yeah you can' before abruptly ending the discussion. He later doubled down on the claim during an appearance with Jeremy Kyle, arguing that concrete expands during mixing, therefore it 'grows.'
Metro has reached out to Mike Graham's representatives for comment regarding the latest controversy, but as of publication, no response has been received. The situation continues to develop as pressure mounts on police authorities to formally investigate the matter.
