BBC GLEE
BBC presenter is kicked off air and investigated for ‘breaking impartiality rules’ after laughing at Boris Johnson news
BBC presenter Martine Croxall has been taken off air hours after she sparked fury for appearing to laugh at a joke about Boris Johnson.
Ms Croxall was presenting The Papers last night when she chuckled at a gag about the former PM ruling himself out of the Tory leadership race.
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She admitted through her giggles that she was "probably breaking some terrible impartiality rule".
The anchor opened the show by asking: "Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well I am!"
Later in the programme, she laughed as journalist Tony Grew mocked Mr Johnson, interrupting the seasoned journalist to apologise for her chuckling and say she was "probably" breaching the rules.
The presenter has now been taken off air following a potential breach of impartiality, the PA news agency understands.
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The show aired just minutes after the former Mayor of London announced he would not run for a second term in office.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien blasted the comments at a time when the government have been considering the future of the long-term licence fee.
He said: "The BBC is supposed to be one bulwark against the slide into a US-style new media cesspit - it is so self destructive for them to do this."
Ms Croxall's remarks also sparked outrage on , with viewers expressing their frustration at the latest apparent breach of the Beeb's supposedly strict impartiality regulations.
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One user called the comments an "utter disgrace".
Another chimed in saying: "Another biased BBC employee."
A third furious user wrote: "The BBC is meant to be impartial at all times.
"We all know the Corporation is full to the brim with left wing whackos, but now they don't even try to hide it."
However, some argued a clip of the incident circulating online misrepresented Croxall and was taken out of context.
One defender wrote: "Martine Croxall is obviously expressing excitement at the timing of 'hot news' during a segment that everyone knows is informal and conversational.
"Not being biased does not mean 'robotic'."
Another said: "Sharing a 7 second clip out of context doesn't prove the point you're trying to make.
"Watch the whole segment. She's clearly excited by the fast moving news and headlines being rewritten."
This comes after the BBC backed down earlier this year on hiring a controversial left-wing presenter after an impartiality row.
Matthew Stadlen, 42, has spent years railing against Boris Johnson, Brexit and the Tories — accusing them of pandering to racists.
Just hours after Stadlen tweeted that he would be filling in for a regular Radio 5 Live presenter, the corporation confirmed that their "plans had changed" and he would not be taking on the role.
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A BBC spokesperson said: "BBC News is urgently reviewing last night’s edition of The Papers on the News Channel for a potential breach of impartiality.
"It is imperative that we maintain the highest editorial standards. We have processes in place to uphold our standards, and these processes have been activated."
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