Ofcom is investigating whether GB News breached broadcasting rules by airing a second showing of its interview with Donald Trump, following complaints that the US president's claims about climate change, Islam, and immigration went unchallenged.
Background of the Interview
The interview, conducted by presenter Bev Turner in November, originally aired on GB News's US-based program Late Show Live. The regulator initially declined to investigate the first broadcast but has now announced an inquiry into a repeat broadcast on The Weekend, which aired the full interview the following day.
Controversial Claims
During the interview, Trump was not challenged when he stated that human-induced climate change was a hoax, that parts of London were no-go areas for police, and that some areas of the capital operated under sharia law. These statements drew multiple complaints from viewers and advocacy groups.
Ofcom's Decision
An Ofcom spokesperson said: "This programme featured an interview by GB News presenter, Bev Turner, with US president Donald Trump. We are investigating whether it breached our rules on due impartiality and material misleadingness." The regulator has not explained why it is investigating the repeat broadcast but not the original, though it considers surrounding content such as panel discussions and audience context. The Weekend aired during daytime in the UK, likely reaching a larger audience than the original overnight broadcast.
Reactions and Implications
Richard Wilson, director of the Reliable Media campaign group and a complainant, criticized the delay: "Ofcom has quietly opened an investigation six months after the programme aired. In that time, GB News's social media clips of Trump claiming climate change is a 'hoax' have clocked up over a hundred thousand engagements online. This is what regulatory failure looks like." He added that the announcement came after sustained pressure from the public, MPs, and civil society, and called on the new Ofcom chair to fix the regulator.
GB News expressed surprise and concern over what it called a "delayed decision," pointing to Ofcom's earlier decision not to pursue complaints about the original airing. The network stated: "Ofcom's U-turn over the repeat of the interview with the US president, Donald Trump, follows adverse commentary around its original decision by prominent critics of both Ofcom and GB News. The sequence of events inevitably raises questions around the rationale for reopening the matter at this stage. It also raises serious concerns around regulatory certainty, procedural fairness and the consistency of Ofcom's processes. GB News stands firmly by its journalism and editorial standards."
The investigation comes after Michael Grade stepped down as Ofcom chair, with Ian Cheshire, former Channel 4 chair, set to take over. This case is emerging as a test of Ofcom's approach to impartiality in broadcasting.
