BBC News axes Clive Myrie after Boris Johnson jokes on Have I Got News For You
THE BBC secretly axed Clive Myrie from his News At Ten presenting role after concerns about his comments on Have I Got News For You.
The decision to pull Clive off the air was made at the last minute by content chief Charlotte Moore.
Last Friday, BBC bosses chose not to let Clive present the show following jokes he made about Boris Johnson on the comedy programme.
Clive made a number of references to Boris on the programme including a jibe at his recent resignation in his opening speech on the show.
Referring to regular footage from photographers of Boris out jogging with his dog near his home, Clive said on the panel show: “After being found by the House of Commons committee to have lied repeatedly, Boris Johnson takes the opportunity to deny that he’s ever been jogging or has a dog.”
An insider revealed to The Times that it was not a specific joke which prompted Clive to be axed from his presenting role but more concern over appearing on the two shows in quick succession.
They said to the publication: “There wasn’t a specific joke which triggered the request.
“It was more to do with concerns that Clive was doing two very different types of programme within an hour of each other. There was possibly a bit of over-caution, which felt a bit over the top to most people in news.”
A BBC executive added: “It didn’t feel right for Clive to go almost straight to the news when he’d just been making jokes.
“It was a tonal thing rather than due to anyone being overly anxious.”
The journalist is a regular face across BBC News programmes.
He has also recently took over the role as presenter of Mastermind.