Martine Croxall: BBC host taken off air after ‘gleeful’ response to Boris Johnson pulling out of leadership race

‘I’m probably breaking some terrible due impartiality rule by giggling,’ said presenter

BBC presenter Martine Croxall has been taken off air by the BBC after her “gleeful” reaction to the news that Boris Johnson was pulling out of the Conservative leadership race, according to reports.

The broadcaster was leading the BBC News channel’s review of the newspapers, The Papers, a few minutes after Johnson quit the race on Sunday (23 October), and she introduced viewers to the show with the words: “Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well, I am!”

According to a report in The Telegraph, BBC bosses have now taken Croxall off air for an undefined amount of time.

A spokesman told the publication: “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.”

The statement added: “We have processes in place to uphold our standards, and these processes have been activated.”

Some viewers had complained to media watchdog Ofcom about Croxall’s remarks.

On the show, Croxall herself laughed at criticism of Johnson in the newspapers, saying: “I shouldn’t probably [laugh].

“I’m probably breaking some terrible due impartiality rule by giggling.”

Today (24 October), it was announced that Rishi Sunak will be Britain’s next prime minister.

The former chancellor emerged victorious before the Tory leadership race had chance to go to a vote, after Penny Mourdant dropped out minutes before the deadline.

Croxall’s on-air gaffe comes just a few days after Channel 4 news anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy was forced to apologise “unreservedly” to Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker for calling him a “c***” in what he called an “unguarded moment”.

The broadcaster said that the remark followed a “robust interview” with Baker, but admitted that it was “beneath the standards I set myself”.

During an off-air moment after his interview with Baker, Guru-Murthy was heard on a livestream saying “what a c***”.