Dan Walker, the former BBC presenter now with Channel 5 News, will be absent from Monday evening's teatime bulletin as he hosts Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall. The 49-year-old announced his absence on Instagram, stating he would be back on Tuesday.
His absence coincides with the start of a public employment tribunal at the London Tribunals Centre, where allegations of sexism, misogyny, and workplace bullying made by his former co-host Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije are being heard. Walker, who joined Channel 5 News in April 2022, is named as a respondent alongside ITN and Paramount.
Walker has denied the allegations, previously telling The Telegraph that an independent inquiry had vindicated him. However, this has been contested and is expected to be addressed at the tribunal. An ITN spokesperson said the claim is denied in full and will be dealt with through the tribunal process.
Walker is expected to give evidence this week and is said to be determined to clear his name. It remains unclear when he will attend the tribunal.
The Classic FM Live concert, co-hosted with Myleene Klass, features the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and soloists including Alice Sara Ott and Lawrence Brownlee, with a finale of lights and fireworks.
