Clive Myrie was withdrawn from his regular slot on BBC News at Ten after appearing on Have I Got News For You and firing off jokes about Boris Johnson’s Partygate “lies”.
In the latest impartiality scandal to rock the BBC, the news presenter took over hosting duties on the popular show saying he would be tackling Mr Johnson’s “mad” resignation honours list.
He was replaced on the news broadcast following Have I Got News For You by Jane Hill at the last minute by bosses fearing being accused of an anti-Tory bias, according to The Times.
During the opening rounds, footage was shown of the former Prime Minister jogging with his beloved Jack Russell cross, Dilyn.
Doing a scripted voiceover, Myrie quipped: “After being found by the House of Commons committee to have lied repeatedly, Boris Johnson takes the opportunity to deny that he’s ever been jogging or has a dog.”
He also made a joke about Boris Johnson’s decision to elevate the 29-year-old Charlotte Owen to the House of Lords in his resgination honours.
Hislop told the audience: “You’ll remember you were here for the end of Clive Myrie’s career.” Merton added: “Or the beginning of a new rise.”
“There wasn’t a specific joke that triggered the request,” an insider told The Times.
“It was more to do with concerns that Clive was doing two very different types of programme within an hour of each other. There was possibly a bit of over-caution, which felt a bit over the top to most people in news.”
It came after Gary Lineker said the furore over his tweet about the Government’s asylum policy was “disproportionate”, adding that he believes the issue of impartiality at the BBC is “almost unresolvable”.
The Match of the Day presenter was taken off air by the broadcaster in March after posting a tweet in which he said the language used by the Government to promote its asylum plans was not dissimilar to 1930s Germany.
The 62-year-old later returned to his presenting role following a boycott by top on-air talent.
