Specsavers has become the latest company to pull its advertising from GB News, the new channel launched by former BBC broadcaster Andrew Neil. The decision has sparked anger among the channel's supporters, with some vowing to boycott the optician.
Former Brexit Party MEP Christina Jordan tweeted her disappointment, saying she would stop using Specsavers after 20 years. Another social media user warned the company could lose customers, stating they would no longer get their glasses there after Specsavers 'jumped on the bandwagon' with GB News.
Specsavers joins a growing list of brands that have withdrawn adverts from the channel, including Ikea, Kopparberg, Octopus Energy, Vodafone, LV, Bosch, and Pinterest. Ikea said it had 'not knowingly' advertised on GB News, while Kopparberg claimed its ad ran 'without knowledge or consent'.
The controversy comes after Andrew Neil's opening monologue on GB News, where he warned about 'cancel culture' and pledged to challenge elites. Despite the ad pullouts, GB News peaked at 336,000 viewers in its opening minutes on Sunday, outperforming BBC News and Sky News.
