ED Balls has told viewers of Good Morning Britain he would "sit this one out" ahead of an interview on the programme with his wife – Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
It comes after the former shadow chancellor faced criticism for interviewing his wife on the programme at the beginning of August.
Ofcom received more than 8000 complaints after the interview, which had focused on far-right riots in England and Northern Ireland.
Balls (below) told viewers he will “sit this one out” when the time came for his co-host Susanna Reid to interview the Home Secretary.
Speaking last month, ITV’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall explained the broadcaster would not do any more interviews in the style of Balls interviewing his wife.
At the time, she was replying to a question from presenter Amol Rajan at the Royal Television Society London Conference, who had asked: “How can anyone take ITV seriously on impartiality?”
Speaking on the interview which sparked the complaints, McCall replied: “It was a very, very tricky morning, there was a national emergency almost being called, and so we got very short notice that the Home Secretary was coming on the show.
#GMB have clearly decided husband interviewing wife is untenable. Ed Balls is co-presenting the program today, but no sign of him when the Home Secretary is being interviewed. pic.twitter.com/ieffEBkdkX
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) November 4, 2024
“She was doing a whole round, but it was unexpected, and we believe that it was fair and impartial, and actually Ofcom just ruled, but amazingly no-one has picked up on the fact, that Ofcom are not pursuing these complaints because they believe it’s fair, balanced and impartial.
“So would we do it again? No. Was it impartial, fair and balanced? And did they behave professionally? Yes.
“I mean he asked her a few questions, but I think Kate (Garraway) was leading on that wasn’t she?
“And so I do think you’ve just got to say, if Ofcom have looked at it and they’re not pursuing this any further because they thought it was fair, balanced and impartial, you know, that’s it.”
Cooper is in Glasgow where the Interpol General Assembly is due to take place on Monday.
It comes as the Prime Minister is expected to use a speech at the event which will see him pledge another £75 million for his new border command.
