Journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy taken off-air for a week after swearing at a Conservative minister

Image by Instagram @krishgm

Channel 4 News lead presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy was taken off-air for a week on Thursday, 20 October after it emerged that he has used distasteful words against a Conservative minister following an interview.

The incident took place off-air after the interview had been conducted with Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker, but the microphones remained on and picked up what was being said by the presenter.

The British public broadcaster released a statement addressing the issue, writing: “Channel 4 has a strict code of conduct for all its employees, including its programming teams and on-air presenters, and takes any breaches seriously,” the public broadcaster said in a statement.

“Following an off-air incident, Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week.”

Guru-Murthy also apologised for making the remarks in a tweet, writing: “After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air.  While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry.”

The Indian-origin journalist was heard saying “what a c***” during the livestream, after the interview was over.

Baker, accepted his apology, writing: “I appreciate you apologising. Thank You.”

However, things still seemed a bit sour as the minister in an interview with John Pienaar on Times Radio said that he hoped Guru-Murthy would be sacked by his employer.

He said, “I had an interview earlier with a journalist I don’t have a great deal of regard for, who I felt always misrepresenting the situation through the construction of his question, which I called out, I think live on air, or I thought it was a pre-record.

“And he clearly didn’t like that, quite right, too. But I’d be quite honest, I spent a long time live on air, calling him out on his contact as a journalist and glad to do so any time.

“But it’s most unfortunate that he has sworn on air like that. If it’s in breach of his code of conduct, I do hope they sack him – it would be a service to the public.”