THE BBC has been criticised for a "surreal" interruption during a Newsnight panel discussion on the Zack Polanski and Reform UK row.
The Green Party leader was grilled on the evening programme by Victoria Derbyshire after he inadvertently shared, and then removed, a post which featured a man wearing a black T-shirt with the message “We’re only making plans for Nigel” and an image of a guillotine.
Polanski has refused to apologise to Nigel Farage for the "inadvertent mistake".
During a live panel discussion that followed the interview – which Polanski remained on set for – reporter Nicholas Watt interrupted the broadcast to read out live reaction from Reform UK to the interview.
Reading from his phone as the camera panned to Polanski, Watt told Derbyshire a senior Reform UK source had said to him: "It's truly astonishing and quite frankly sickening that Zack Polanski won't apologise for inciting murder.
"He admits it was wrong, he admits it was dangerous, but he still refuses to apologise."
The source was then quoted as saying Polanski was "not fit to lead a national political party".
Polanski was given a right to reply by Derbyshire to which he said: "The point is Nigel Farage, or whoever it was that said I've committed incitement to murder, I think that is an absurd claim and that's exactly why I haven't given an apology.
"I think Reform have just proven my point."
Watt then continued reading out quotes from Reform UK including an unrelated one from Farage about social care saying: "If Andy Burnham is serious about putting politics aside to solve Britain's biggest problems, it's remarkable that he's chosen to ignore the party that led over 300 national opinion polls and represents thousands of councillors and millions of Britons across the country.
Surreal, Newsnight interrupts live TV to report a Reform UK source commenting on the Zack Polanski interview Zack Polanski responds Newsnight then read out a comment from another Reform UK source Newsnight then read out a message from Nigel Farage on social care Then a few… pic.twitter.com/hBzYD4V0Oy
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) July 28, 2026
"It's now clear Burnham is conspiring behind closed doors with the political establishment to force further tax rises on the country. The fact that Ed Davey and Kemi Badenoch are going along with this tells you all you need to know about their parties."
It's been reported that a new tax on income to fund social care is being explored by Burnham's team.
The interruption has been described as "surreal", with the BBC being described as a "Reform Party mouthpiece".
Sharing the clip, content creator Farrukh said on Twitter/X: "Surreal. Newsnight interrupts live TV to report a Reform UK source commenting on the Zack Polanski interview.
"Zack Polanski responds Newsnight then read out a comment from another Reform UK source. Newsnight then read out a message from Nigel Farage on social care.
"Then a few minutes later Newsnight read out the rest of Nigel Farage's message, again criticising social care."
Migration expert Zoe Gardener added in the comments: "The BBC continuing to just be a Reform party mouthpiece. Truly pathetic."
Another comment sarcastically said: "Very normal for a party with seven MPs to have every statement/tweet instantly read out on a flagship BBC political programme. No Reform representative was even present yet the show and its guests were constantly interrupted/paused so Nicholas Watt could read from his phone..."
The BBC has been approached for comment.
Reform UK said the party has reported Polanski to the police, with home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf accusing the Green leader of “inciting murder” and Farage calling for his arrest.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force was “conducting inquiries” and took “reports of this nature extremely seriously”.
Polanski has maintained that the police have not yet contacted him , saying on Newsnight: “I think it would be odd for the police to speak to me about that because I think it’s quite obvious that I’ve not done anything wrong other than making an inadvertent mistake.
“That being said, if the police do want to talk to me, of course I’m very happy to co-operate.”
Polanski told the BBC political show on Tuesday evening that he “didn’t pay enough attention to the T-shirt” when skimming through the images, and was “horrified” by its “dangerous message”.
