News anchor apologises after calling Tory MP a 'very offensive word'

‘What a c**t’: Channel 4 presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy is recorded insulting Tory minister Steve Baker off-camera after ‘robust interview’ – before apologising ‘unreservedly’ over the ‘unguarded moment’

• A channel 4 presenter has issued a grovelling apology after calling an MP a ‘c***’ 
• Krishnan Guru-Murthy believed he was off-air when he made the snide remarks 
• But they were picked up and broadcast through other livestreams in the area
• He has reached out to MP Steve Baker to apologise for the unfortunate mishap 

A Channel 4 News anchor has issued a grovelling apology after he was filmed referring to Tory minister Steve Baker as a ‘c**t’.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy conducted a ‘robust’ interview with the Minister for Northern Ireland on Wednesday about Suella Braverman’s decision to step down as Home Secretary.

After the interview took place, the live feed switched to Prime Minister Liz Truss’s home. Guru-Murthy believed he was no longer on air, but his comments were picked up by other livestream broadcasts nearby.

In footage which has now been widely circulated on social media, the Channel 4 News anchor said: ‘It wasn’t a stupid question, Steve, you know it. I’m very happy to go up against you on [PM Liz] Truss any day.

 ‘What a c**t.’

Krishnan Guru-Murthy conducted a ‘robust’ interview with the Minister for Northern Ireland on Wednesday about Suella Braverman’s decision to step down as Home Secretary

The audio has since sparked widespread social media frenzy and Mr Baker told Times Radio it was an ‘unfortunate’ mishap.

‘If it’s in breach of his code of conduct I hope they sack him,’ he said. 

Earlier this evening, Guru-Murthy issued an unreserved apology over the blunder. 

‘After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air,’ he said.

‘While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry.’

Mr Baker responded to the tweet with a message that read: ‘I appreciate you apologising. Thank you.’

The pair went head-to-head in the interview after Ms Braverman was forced to step down after sending a sensitive document from her personal email. 

The MP backed Ms Braverman during the interview, saying she showed ‘great integrity’ by acknowledging her mistake and tendering her resignation.

Mr Baker said had it not been for the mistake, he had no doubt Ms Braverman would have continued on in her role – a statement Guru-Murthy disputed.

The anchor noted Ms Braverman took ‘clear potshots’ at PM Liz Truss in her official resignation letter.

She swiped that when people made ‘mistakes’ – something Ms Truss has admitted – the right thing to do was quit. 

‘This government is looking like a joke,’ Guru-Murthy said. ‘This is another example of incompetence by this government, isn’t it?’

Earlier this evening, Guru-Murthy issued an unreserved apology over the blunder. ‘After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air,’ he said. ‘While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry’

But Mr Baker said ‘tensions are bound to emerge at times of resignation’ and said he hopes Ms Truss will be able to ‘reappoint Suella in the new year’. 

There is believed to have been a bust-up between Ms Braverman and Ms Truss – who were rivals in the Conservative leadership contest – over immigration and visa policy last night.

She was under pressure to sign off a plan to liberalise migration rules to help boost the economy, as part of Ms Truss’s drive for growth. The former minister appears to have sent an email with details of the proposed policy to a parliamentary staffer, with speculation she could have been trying to sabotage it.

One Tory MP close to Ms Braverman told MailOnline of the security breach: ‘It’s the kind of thing that you give a wrap on the knuckles and carry on – unless you want to get rid of someone.’

The MP said Ms Braverman ‘wasn’t happy over their stance on immigration’, and also warned more resignations could be imminent. 

‘I get the impression we’re going to get an avalanche.’

Suella Braverman (left) dramatically quit as Home Secretary today as Liz Truss’s (right) crisis deepened

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