Good Morning Britain has faced renewed accusations of bias after the programme highlighted presenter Ed Balls' long-standing friendship with Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The former Labour MP, who became a permanent presenter in 2022, has previously been criticised by viewers who argue he cannot remain impartial in political interviews.
Fresh Concerns Over Impartiality
The latest backlash follows an episode on Monday, 26 October, in which Susanna Reid showed clips of Andy Burnham discussing his friend Ed during a special edition of Gogglebox aired on Friday. Speaking to Liverpool's Mayor, Steve Rotheram, the Labour leader joked that the song Gangnam Style reminded him of Ed, referencing his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.
Ed and Andy have known each other for more than 20 years. They served together in Gordon Brown's cabinet and played on the New Labour football team, Demon Eyes F.C.
Previous Complaints Over Interviews
Ed previously faced complaints for interviewing his wife, Health Secretary Yvette Cooper. He has since stopped participating in interviews with her, a move acknowledged as a level of accountability. However, the programme's decision to spotlight Andy's comments about Ed has been seen by some as an endorsement rather than a separation of personal ties from journalism.
In 2024, an ITV spokesperson stated that GMB provides "fair and duly impartial" interviews. Despite this, critics argue that Ed's closeness to major UK ministers makes it impossible to remove unconscious bias when reporting on and scrutinising his friend's administration.
Call for Greater Neutrality
The broadcaster could have ensured Ed was not involved in key interviews with Andy and made a conscious effort to separate their friendship from the programme. Instead, ITV appears to be using the relationship as a promotional point, which critics say reiterates that Ed is not an impartial presenter.
The issue is not limited to ITV, with various networks facing similar scrutiny. However, GMB has been repeatedly called out by viewers demanding greater impartiality. Despite Ofcom complaints and evidence of Ed's ties to senior ministers, the broadcaster has continued to feature him in politically sensitive segments, a situation some describe as insulting to viewers.
