Mark Steyn has quit GB News on fairly bad terms after a protracted leave of absence owing to his health
(Picture: Mark Steyn)GB News presenter Mark Steyn has quit his show after claiming the channel wanted to hold him liable for paying Ofcom fines.
The conservative presenter was under investigation for anti-vaccine comments made on his show last year and has been absent from the show in recent months after suffering two heart attacks.
He claimed that he intended to return to his show, but GB News wanted to change the terms of his contract, making him liable for future Ofcom complaints, which Steyn declined to sign.
Steyn’s 8pm slot on GB News has since been filled by actor Laurence Fox.
Who is Mark Steyn?
Mark Steyn, 63, is a Canadian author and TV presenter from Toronto. He attended secondary school in Birmingham, England and currently lives in New Hampshire in the US.
Steyn originally worked as a DJ and then as a musical theatre critic for the Independent, before becoming a political pundit. He has written about politics, art and culture for news media including the Daily Telegraph, The Spectator and the Wall Street Journal.
Tonight The Mark Steyn Show is live @GBNEWS from 8pm GMT
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) November 21, 2022
📺 Freeview 236, Sky 515, Virgin 604 pic.twitter.com/0TIuTjW0i8
He presented The Mark Steyn Show on GB News from Monday to Thursday until his recent departure.
In the US, he guest-hosted conservative shows like The Rush Limbaugh Show and Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Steyn has written a number of books, including After America, America Alone: The End Of The World As We Know It, and The [Un]documented Mark Steyn.
Ofcom investigation into anti-vaccine comments
In October 2022, Ofcom investigated Steyn for anti-vaccine comments that were made on his show.
More than 400 complaints were made about Steyn’s conversation with author Naomi Wolf in which they discussed her claim that Covid-19 vaccines could cause problems with women’s health.
At the time, Ofcom said: “We consider that comments made during an interview with author and journalist Dr Naomi Wolf about the coronavirus vaccine rollout raise potential issues under our Broadcasting Code. Specifically, our investigation will consider whether this programme broke our rules designed to protect viewers from harmful material.”
Why has he left GB News?
Mark Steyn said he left GB News after the channel wanted to hold him responsible for paying fines issued by media regulator Ofcom. It is generally the responsibility of the broadcaster, in this case GB News, to pay fines rather than presenters.
He also claimed that GB News said a defibrillator had to be installed in the studio after he suffered two heart attacks in December.
In a video posted to his website explaining his departure, Steyn said: “I’m on the hook for Ofcom fines but I don’t have any say in our defence against an Ofcom complaint – that’s all done by GB News.
“Ofcom’s bitch, as I call the compliance officer, will be making the weedy defence to Ofcom and then I’m the one who has to pay the £40,000 fine.”
In response, GB News said: “GB News takes Ofcom compliance extremely seriously. All our presenters are expected to comply fully with the Broadcast Code and there are no exceptions.
“This does not impinge on our ability to ask tough questions, express strong opinions and debate the issues that matter to the people of Britain,” it said in the Guardian.
