Alastair Stewart has joined new channel GB News over a year after he was forced out of his role at ITV for quoting Shakespeare at a black Twitter user.
Stewart, 68, voluntarily stepped down from ITV News in January 2020, saying that he made a “misjudgment which I regret”.
ITV viewer Martin Shapland, 34, complained to bosses about his tweet which referenced a Shakespeare passage that contained the phrase “angry ape”, but any racial element was always denied.
At the time Andrew Neil, who is now chairman of GB News, publicly backed the broadcaster and said” ITN suits had forced him out”.
(Image: ITV)
Announcing his new job, father-of-four Stewart said GB News is an opportunity to “challenge the groupthink”.
“GB News is a unique opportunity to broaden the spectrum, challenge the groupthink and move away a predictable agenda in news and debate,” he said.
“I can’t wait to get stuck in and tackle issues that really matter to people across the United Kingdom.”
(Image: ITV)
Before leaving in 2020, Alastair had been the longest-serving male newsreader after joining Southern Television in 1976 then ITN in 1980.
But when Mr Shapland retweeted Stewart’s Shakespeare quote, he wrote alongside it: “Just an ITV newsreader referring to me as an ape with the cover of Shakespeare. Measure for Measure, Alistair is a disgrace.”
In later tweets he described Stewart’s behaviour as “ignorant bullying” and suggests he should receive some “lessons in etiquette”.
(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
GB News is due to launch this year on Freeview, Sky, YouView, Freesat and Virgin Media.
The channel will not provide rolling news, but instead will be a mix of news, opinion, and debate.
Other signings include broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher, ex-BBC presenter Simon McCoy, and ex-Sky broadcaster Colin Brazier.
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/alastair-stewart-joins-gb-news-23843441