Kay Burley clashes with Camilla Tominey in online spat over op-ed comparing her to Liz Truss
Veteran broadcaster Kay Burley has become embroiled in an online spat with journalist Camilla Tominey who mocked her in an op-ed.
Burley, 64, who on Wednesday (February 5) announced her retirement from Sky News after 36 years, hit back on X (formerly Twitter), posting: "Sweetie @CamillaTominey as the late, great Madeleine Albright said, there is a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women."
Tominey, an associate editor at the Daily Telegraph and a presenter on GB News, responded by sharing a photo of Burley grabbing a photographer by the throat in 2008, writing: "Yes, as this photographer can vouch."
The row erupted after Tominey’s article described Burley as "TV’s answer to Liz Truss", mocking her "resilience as strong as her facelift" and comparing her to the Daily Star lettuce that outlasted Truss’s 44-day premiership. Tominey also highlighted Burley’s on-air gaffes, calling them "Ron Burgundyisms" that she embraced "with admirable gusto."
In 2008, Burley was photographed grabbing the neck of a journalist outside a London court while covering Naomi Campbell’s arrival. The resurfacing of this image added fuel to the social media backlash.
Burley also faced widespread ridicule in 2015 after tweeting a photo of a golden retriever with the caption "sadness in his eyes" following the Paris terror attacks. The tweet was widely mocked, with users creating spoof images and the hashtag #sadnessinhiseyes trending as people criticised her tone.
Burley announced her retirement from Sky News live on air, looking back on a career covering major events such as the death of Princess Diana, 9/11, and the Boxing Day tsunami. Her departure was unexpected, with Sky executives allowing her to break the news herself.
Reflecting on her time at Sky, Burley said: "After over a million minutes of live TV news – more than anyone else in the world – it's time for me to indulge in some of my other passions, including my love for travel."
Sky News Executive Chairman David Rhodes confirmed that her final broadcast was also her last day on air.