Celebrities suspended from appearing on news channels and talk shows - from Laurence Fox to Russell Brand

Sometimes, celebrities and public personalities get attention for all the wrong reasons. There are also times when because of their questionable actions or controversial comments that they are suspended from speaking on certain news outlets or talk shows.

Today, (Wednesday 27 September), actor-turned-activist Laurence Fox has joined the list of blacklisted famous faces. He’s been suspended from GB news after making “vile and misogynist comments” about political journalist Ava Santina while talking to presenter Dan Wootton during an appearance on the channel yesterday evening (Tuesday 26 September).

But, just who else has been banned from talking to certain outlets and why? Here’s what you need to know.

Guto Harri

Journalist Guto Harri joined GB news as a presenter in May 2021, but just a few weeks later, in July 2021, he was suspended from his job after taking the knee live on air in protest against racist abuse suffered by black football stars. The act provoked a viewer boycott and the channel said in a statement that it was 'unacceptable' for any presenter to take the knee and accused Harri of breaking its Editorial Charter. 

A few days later, Harri quit his role with GB news, saying he had ‘no option’. Harri later wrote in the Sunday Times the channel was ‘becoming an absurd parody of what it proclaimed to be'. He also slammed it for moving to the ‘far right’.

Gary Lineker

In early March, presenter and former professional footballer Gary Lineker was suspended from the BBC for comments he made condemning Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman’s new strategy to tackle the small boats crisis. He took to his X account to say that the language being used was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 1930s”.

When he said he stood by his comments, the BBC announced on Friday 10 March that Lineker would not present flagship show Match of the Day until an agreement could be made over his use of social media. This was followed by chaos for the BBC, with pundits such as Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, and Alex Scott stepping down from their weekend presenting duties in solidarity with their colleague.

Lineker’s position was reinstated days later and the BBC announced that there would be an independent review of their internal social media guidelines.

Katie Hopkins

Presenter Katie Hopkins stopped hosting her weekly LBC news radio show after she sparked outrage in 2017 by speaking about the Manchester bombing attack. Shortly after the atrocity, Hopkins posted on her X account and said: “22 dead – number rising. Schofield. Don’t you even dare. Do not be a part of the problem. We need a final solution Manchester.” She later edited the tweet, writing “typo / wording amended”, and then deleted it.

A spokesman for the broadcaster said at the time: “LBC and Katie Hopkins have agreed that Katie will leave LBC effective immediately.” The station refused to confirm or deny that Hopkins had been sacked, or give any further details. The spokesman added: “That’s all we’re saying.”

Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross

Comedian Russell Brand, who has recently been accused of numerous sex crimes after a joint investigation by the Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches, caused a public outcry when he and presenter Jonathan Ross made ‘humiliating’ prank calls on a BBC radio show in October 2008. The pair made a prank phone call to now late actor Andrew Sachs making inappropriate comments about Sachs' granddaughter Georgina Baillie in what became known as ‘Sachsgate’. 

Brand and then controller of Radio 2 Lesley Douglas quit as a result. Ross was also suspended from broadcasting for three months, and there was a change in the way BBC output was vetted. In 2009, Ofcom also fined the BBC £150,000 over the phone calls, describing them as “gratuitously offensive, humiliating and demeaning”. Brand denies the sex assault allegations against him.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy was suspended for a week in October 2022 after he was caught swearing at Conservative minister Steve Baker off-air. The journalist was heard saying "what a c**t" as the minister walked away after an interview with him.

Guru-Murthy later posted on his X account to apologise for the incident. He said that after a "robust interview" with Baker he had "used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air". He added: "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."

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg was suspended from her hosting duties on The View for two weeks in February 2022 for comments she made on-air about the Holocaust. During a conversation about book banning, Goldberg said that the Holocaust was "not about race," causing outrage. 

Her suspension from American ABC chat show The View was announced in a statement released by US network ABC News on 1 February, after Goldberg issued a public apology.

Kim Godwin, president of ABC News, wrote in the statement: “Effective immediately, I am suspending Whoopi Goldberg for two weeks for her wrong and hurtful comments. While Whoopi has apologised, I’ve asked her to take time to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments. The entire ABC News organisation stands in solidarity with our Jewish colleagues, friends, family and communities.”

Sharon Osbourne

Sharon Osbourne was fired from American CBS talk show The Talk in March 2021. She had been a regular presenter on the show since its inception, but lost her job after an on-air debate about racism led to claims of racially-charged comments being investigated internally. 

On an episode which aired on 10 March, Osbourne spoke about her decision to stand by her friend Piers Morgan, who had criticised Meghan Markle, which led to a fight with her co-host Sheryl Underwood. Osbourne said: “Why is it that because I supported a longtime friend and work colleague for years, people go ‘well you must be racist because he’s racist.’ No. I support his freedom of speech. I’m not racist and neither is Piers racist. What have I ever said about anybody that’s racist? It’s not within me. It’s not in my soul.”

Osbourne, who did apologise for the argument, was ultimately found to be guilty of behaviour that did not align with the show's values and was forced to leave. In September 2022, Osbourne slammed CBS' handling of the event. She said: "I was this lamb slaughtered that morning and CBS denied responsibility”.

Danny Baker

Journalist Danny Baker was sacked by the BBC and lost his regular slot on Radio 5 Live back in 2019 after he was accused of racism following a post he put on X about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s then newborn son, Archie.

Baker posted a black and white picture of a chimpanzee in a suit with a well-dressed couple, along with the caption: “Royal baby leaves hospital". He said he was lampooning overly deferential attitudes to the royal family and denied the chimpanzee picture had any racial intent.

He deleted the post and apologised for using the picture but was sacked on 9 May.

His firing led him to lash out at the corporation over its handling of the incident. Baker returned to his X account to hit out at his former employers, calling his dismissal ‘a masterclass of pompous faux-gravity”.