Ofcom is investigating GB News after one of its guests appeared to link Pride parades to bestiality and paedophilia. The remarks, made by guest Caroline Farrow, led to more than 12,000 people submitting a complaint to the media regulator on Monday.
Guest comments and complaints
Farrow, who describes herself as a Catholic commentator and is a campaigns manager for conservative advocacy group CitizenGo, made the comments during a broadcast of the Alex Armstrong Tonight show just after London Pride. She told the host that Pride was "not about gay rights" and had "become about celebrating every single sexuality that isn't heterosexuality".
She added: "Including some very bizarre and unhealthy kinks and quirks, you know, like furries and bestiality, and even minor-attracted – they call themselves minor-attracted. You know, paedophiles."
Reactions and responses
RuPaul's Drag Race UK star Bimini and Green Party leader Zack Polanski were among those to speak out after the broadcast aired on July 5. They signed an open letter calling for Ofcom to hold the channel to account.
Armstrong interjected during the live segment and challenged the comments. He addressed the comments again in a later broadcast, describing them as an "age-old gay trope". He told viewers: "Comments made by guests last weekend conflated gay pride with the celebration of paedophilia. This is an age-old gay trope that's been used over a number of years to demonise and slander gay people. And as I said to the guest during that segment, it is a statement I fundamentally reject and have not witnessed when attending Pride myself."
The videos have since been removed from GB News's YouTube channel.
GB News response
A GB News spokesperson said: "These investigations have been the subject of an orchestrated campaign against GB News. As a regulated broadcaster, GB News takes its regulatory obligations seriously and complies fully with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. GB News is Britain's number one news channel and has proudly occupied this position for the last 12 months. We intend to robustly defend these investigations."
