CAROL Vorderman has been praised after being forced to quit her role as a presenter on BBC Radio Wales due to the corporation’s social media guidelines.
The broadcaster regularly criticises the UK Government on social media.
However in a statement released on Wednesday she said she had breached new guidelines, and that management at BBC Wales told her she must leave.
“I’ve ultimately found that I’m not prepared to lose my voice on social media, change who I am, or lose the ability to express the strong beliefs I hold about the political turmoil this country finds itself in,” she said.
Respect to @carolvorders for this. It's hard to choose between a guaranteed income and the freedom to speak up for what you believe, and I respect her for sticking to her principles regardless of the cost. She's one of the good guys. https://t.co/OKlldKvtAB
— Russ Jones (@RussInCheshire) November 8, 2023
“My decision has been to continue to criticise the current UK Government for what it has done to the country which I love – and I’m not prepared to stop.”
Many have congratulated the former Countdown star for her principled stance.
Richard Murphy, economic justice campaigner and columnist for The National, said on X/Twitter: “Good one Carol. Keep on saying it as it is.”
NHS consultant Dr Dan Goyal said the BBC would be worse off without Vorderman.
He said: “Sorry, so basically you can only be part of the independent public broadcaster if you don’t criticise those currently in power even in your own time?
Sorry, so basically you can only be part of the independent public broadcaster if you don’t criticise those currently in power even in your own time? The BBC is worse off for these guidelines and BBC Wales is less for losing you. But I guess that’s mission achieved for Tory Gov!
— Dr Dan Goyal (@danielgoyal) November 8, 2023
“The BBC is worse off for these guidelines and BBC Wales is less for losing you.
“But I guess that’s mission achieved for Tory Gov!”
Author and lawyer Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu added: “Solidarity with Carol Vorderman – BBC can eat dust!”
Meanwhile citizen journalism outlet West Country Voices said: “Good for you, Carol.
“We need your voice loud and clear, not muzzled by a justifiably nervous government and government propaganda outlet.”
The literary agent David Headley simply called Vorderman “a woman of principle” while the writer Russ Jones said: “Respect to @carolvorders for this.
“It’s hard to choose between a guaranteed income and the freedom to speak up for what you believe, and I respect her for sticking to her principles regardless of the cost.
“She’s one of the good guys.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for BBC Radio Wales said: "Carol has been a presenter on BBC Radio Wales since 2018.
“We'd like to thank her for her work and contribution to the station over the past five years."
