Kay Burley ‘off air for rest of year’ after breaking Covid rules

TV host due to depart on pre-planned holiday later this week

Sky News presenter Kay Burley will be off air for the rest of the year after admitting breaching coronavirus restrictions, The Independent understands.

The TV host will not front her daily breakfast show in the coming weeks, it is understood, and is due to depart on a pre-planned holiday on Friday.

In a now-deleted tweet, Burley, 59, said she was travelling to “my beloved Africa … to sit with lions”.

She was not on air on Tuesday, with the show instead presented by Sarah Hewson. Niall Paterson will host the remainder of the morning slots until the end of the month.

“I’ll see you at 0700 Monday, and every weekday up till Christmas. Bring carrots and crackers,” he tweeted on Wednesday morning.

Burley previously said she was celebrating her 60th birthday at a “Covid-compliant” restaurant on Saturday and afterwards “popped into another” venue to use the bathroom.

A group of four are reported to have gone back to Burley’s own home to continue the party – an accusation she has not yet addressed.

The gathering was reportedly in London, which is under tier 2 restrictions, and which mean you cannot be inside with anyone not of your household, or in your support bubble. 

Writing on Twitter, Burley said: “I want to apologise to you all for an error of judgment. On Saturday night I was enjoying my 60th birthday at a Covid compliant restaurant.

”I am embarrassed to say that later in the evening I inadvertently broke the rules.

“I had been waiting for a taxi at 11pm to get home. Desperate for the loo I briefly popped into another restaurant to spend a penny. I can only apologise.”

Burley has used her daily Sky News breakfast show to grill politicians on lockdown throughout the pandemic.

In May, she questioned cabinet minister Michael Gove on the controversy over Dominic Cummings' trip to Barnard Castle.

A Sky News spokesman said: “We place the highest importance on complying with the government guidelines on Covid, and we expect all our people to comply.

”We were disappointed to learn that a small number of Sky News staff may have engaged in activity that breached the guidelines.

“Although this took place at a social event in personal time, we expect all our people to follow the rules that are in place for everyone.

”An internal process is under way to review the conduct of the people involved.“