THE UK’s broadcasting watchdog has decided former Tory culture secretary Nadine Dorries’s interview with her old boss Boris Johnson did not break any rules around due impartiality.
Ofcom said it had investigated the programme after receiving some 40 complaints about the “Friday Night with Nadine” programme broadcast on Talk TV on February 3, 2023.
These complaints alleged the programme had breached the due impartiality requirements by having the former Tory prime minister interviewed by one of his closest allies.
However, Ofcom said on Monday it had “decided that it did not raise issues warranting investigation”.
It went on: “Taking into consideration that the assessment involved matters of public interest relating to the issue of politicians acting as presenters on television and radio, Ofcom has exceptionally decided to publish the reasons for its decision.”
In its reasoning, the watchdog said having Dorries as a host did not breach rules because her show is a “weekly discussion programme” and not strictly news.
It concluded due impartiality rules did apply however, but that the comment from in-studio pundits provided the balance required and the broadcast had not breached rules.
“We considered that alternative viewpoints, content and challenge were sufficiently reflected in this non-news programme, and we will not be pursuing further,” Ofcom said.
However, Ofcom said it has launched a fuller investigation into a broadcast of “Saturday Morning with Esther and Philip”, which aired on GB News on March 11 and featured Tory MPs Esther McVey and Philip Davies, who are also married, interviewing Tory Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
The watchdog has previously confirmed it was assessing complaints about the broadcast, but a larger probe has now been launched.
“We’re investigating whether this broke our rules requiring news and current affairs to be presented with due impartiality,” Ofcom said.
“As part of this, we will look at the programme’s compliance with our rules on politicians presenting programmes, and whether it included a wide range of significant views relating to a matter of major political controversy or current public policy.”
The interview in question saw Hunt make unchallenged claims such as that nuclear is necessary because it is not possible to provide for 100% of the UK’s energy requirements through renewables.
It also saw McVey say she wanted to talk about “how I could help you reduce taxes”.
