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Andrew Neil rips into GB News ‘smears and lies’


Andrew Neil has ripped into GB News, accusing the controversial of leaking “smears” to a newspaper.

The former BBC journalist resigned as the chairman and lead presenter of GB News last week, saying he did not want to be associated with a “British Fox News”.

And, on Wednesday evening, Neil launched a broadside at the new channel over his exit – and claimed he would never appear on the show again.

He tweeted: “After weeks of talks with @GBNEWS, resulting in exit settlement, the channel then broke it by briefing Mail on Sunday with load of smears/lies then unilaterally cancelling exit deal. 

“Leaving me free to do, say whatever I want + never again be on GBNews. Couldn’t be happier.”

Neil’s resignation has been seen as a hammer blow for GB News, which launched only three months ago.

The 72-year-old took an extended break from his flagship show on the network – having been on air for less than two weeks.

During an appearance on BBC’s Question Times last week, Neil said the channel had in gone a different direction than he had envisaged.

“I had always made it clear that it wouldn’t be a British Fox News and I think you could do something different without going anywhere near Fox,” he said.

“Fox deals in untruths, it deals in conspiracy theories and it deals in fake news. That’s not my kind of journalism and I would never have set out to do that.”

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Henry Goodwin

Henry is a reporter with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. He read History at the University of Cambridge and has a Masters in Newspaper Journalism from City, University of London. Follow him on Twitter: @HenGoodwin.

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