Latest news with #LewisSchaffer
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
GB News is plunged into more chaos as it considers axing 'anti-woke' comedy show after raft of complaints
GB News is considering axing its 'anti-woke' comedy show following a raft of complaints over a remark made about the LGBTQ + community. One of the presenters of Headliners suggested on Saturday the panel show could be taken off air within two weeks. The programme, which is a comic spin on traditional newspaper review shows, is currently at the centre of GB News's latest dispute with regulator Ofcom. More than 1,200 viewers complained and 70,000 people signed a petition after comedian Josh Howie appeared to suggest the LGBTQ+ community included paedophiles. The remarks were made during a segment on a sermon by a US bishop, which urged President Donald Trump to 'have mercy' on gay, lesbian and transgender children. Mr Howie referenced a statement from the bishop's church calling for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. The comedian, who has insisted he was making a joke, said: 'I just want to say, that includes paedos, if you're doing the full inclusion.' Now presenter Lewis Schaffer has suggested the future of Headliners, which has been running since 2021, has been thrown into doubt. He wrote on X on Saturday: 'I'm heading into the studio! I've been told by management that the show will be on air for another two weeks while they decide what to do!' Then at the start of the show, he added: 'We're not allowed to talk about it.' Leo Kearse, who was hosting Headliners, replied: 'Thank you for not talking about it.' Mr Howie has insisted the controversial remarks were just him making a joke. He said: 'It's a comedy show. Where three comedians make jokes as we review the next day's newspapers.' MailOnline has contacted GB News for comment. It is the latest blow for the right-wing broadcaster which has been involved in a number of disputes with Ofcom. GB News was last year handed a £100,000 fine for breaching impartiality rules in a programme featuring Rishi Sunak. It followed an appearance by Mr Sunak on a February 12 broadcast called People's Forum: The Prime Minister, where he was asked questions by a studio audience. An earlier investigation by Ofcom found that 'an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints was not presented and given due weight'. GB News is currently challenging the regulator's ruling. Meanwhile in February, GB News won a High Court battle against Ofcom after it ruled the channel had breached impartiality rules in a programme presented by Jacob Rees-Mogg. The judge ruled that the initial decisions which were made in May and June 2023 were unlawful. Furthermore in 2023, GB News received 7,300 complaints and launched an internal investigation after former host Laurence Fox made a series of remarks about a female journalist. The actor-turned-activist apologised for a 'demeaning' sexist rant about political correspondent Ms Evans, which included him asking 'who would want to sh*g that?. Fox said he was angry with Ms Evans over comments she made on a BBC debate around male suicide and alleged she had a 'dislike of men in general', but apologised for 'demeaning her'. Addressing the situation in a video posted to X, he said: 'If I was going to be sensible and I could replay it, I would say: 'Any self-respecting man in 2023 would probably be well advised to avoid a woman who possessed that worldview because she would probably cause him nothing but harm'. 'But what I did say was, you know, 'I wouldn't shag that', and all that sort of stuff, which is not right. It's demeaning to her, to Ava, so I'm sorry for demeaning you in that way. 'However angry I am with you still for doing that, and it demeans me because it's not representative of who I am.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
GB News's ‘anti-woke' comedy show faces axe after thousands of complaints
GB News is considering cancelling its 'anti-woke' comedy show Headliners amid a barrage of complaints. Presenters of the Right-wing, late night panel show appeared to suggest on Saturday that it could be taken off air within a fortnight. Lewis Schaffer, one of the show's panellists, posted on X: 'I'm heading into the studio! I've been told by management that the show will be on air for another two weeks while they decide what to do!' At the start of Saturday's show, Mr Schaffer said: 'We're not allowed to talk about it.' Leo Kearse, the Headliner's host, replied: 'Thank you for not talking about it.' GB News declined to comment on the show's future. The uncertainty comes after Headliners, a comic spin on traditional newspaper review shows, was hit with tens of thousands of complaints after one of its hosts appeared to suggest the LGBTQ+ community included paedophiles. The remarks, by the comedian Josh Howie, are now the subject of an Ofcom investigation. In a segment discussing a sermon by a US bishop, which urged Donald Trump to 'have mercy' on gay, lesbian and transgender children, Mr Howie quoted a statement from the bishop's church calling for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. He said: 'I just want to say, that includes paedos, if you're doing the full inclusion.' The Headliners segment triggered more than 1,200 complaints by viewers, as well as a petition signed by more than 70,000 people from campaign group the Good Law Project that has been handed to the regulator. Angelos Frangopoulos, the chief executive of GB News, said the channel had been 'subjected to a coordinated political campaign by far-Left pressure groups'. Mr Howie has said his remarks were intended as a joke, adding: 'It's a comedy show. Where three comedians make jokes as we review the next day's newspapers.' GB News has said the comedian has been 'misrepresented'. Headliners has been on air since 2021 in the 11pm slot and is one of GB News's longest-running programmes. The show typically features mostly Right-leaning comedians. Mr Kearse's YouTube channel describes him as 'one of the UK's few openly Right-wing comedians' and one of his stand-up shows as 'about comedy triggering the wrath of woke mobs'. GB News has grappled with a series of disputes with Ofcom, the media regulator, over the content of its programming as it attempts to import Right-leaning, US-style panel shows and current affairs to Britain. In February, GB News won a crucial major High Court battle against the watchdog after a judge quashed the regulator's ruling that the channel breached impartiality rules by airing programmes presented by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a then-Tory MP. The channel is separately challenging a £100,000 penalty handed down by Ofcom over claims it broke impartiality rules with a 2024 programme featuring Rishi Sunak, then the prime minister, alleging he had been given an 'uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his government'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
GB News's ‘anti-woke' comedy show faces axe after thousands of complaints
GB News is considering cancelling its 'anti-woke' comedy show Headliners amid a barrage of complaints. Presenters of the Right-wing, late night panel show appeared to suggest on Saturday that it could be taken off air within a fortnight. Lewis Schaffer, one of the show's panellists, posted on X: 'I'm heading into the studio! I've been told by management that the show will be on air for another two weeks while they decide what to do!' At the start of Saturday's show, Mr Schaffer said: 'We're not allowed to talk about it.' Leo Kearse, the Headliner's host, replied: 'Thank you for not talking about it.' GB News declined to comment on the show's future. I'm heading into the studio! I've been told by management that the show will be on air for another two weeks while they decide what to do! — Lewis Schaffer (@LewisSchaffer) May 24, 2025 The uncertainty comes after Headliners, a comic spin on traditional newspaper review shows, was hit with tens of thousands of complaints after one of its hosts appeared to suggest the LGBTQ+ community included paedophiles. The remarks, by the comedian Josh Howie, are now the subject of an Ofcom investigation. In a segment discussing a sermon by a US bishop, which urged Donald Trump to 'have mercy' on gay, lesbian and transgender children, Mr Howie quoted a statement from the bishop's church calling for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. He said: 'I just want to say, that includes paedos, if you're doing the full inclusion.' The Headliners segment triggered more than 1,200 complaints by viewers, as well as a petition signed by more than 70,000 people from campaign group the Good Law Project that has been handed to the regulator. Angelos Frangopoulos, the chief executive of GB News, said the channel had been 'subjected to a coordinated political campaign by far-Left pressure groups '. Mr Howie has said his remarks were intended as a joke, adding: 'It's a comedy show. Where three comedians make jokes as we review the next day's newspapers.' GB News has said the comedian has been 'misrepresented'. Headliners has been on air since 2021 in the 11pm slot and is one of GB News's longest-running programmes. The show typically features mostly Right-leaning comedians. Mr Kearse's YouTube channel describes him as 'one of the UK's few openly Right-wing comedians' and one of his stand-up shows as 'about comedy triggering the wrath of woke mobs'. GB News has grappled with a series of disputes with Ofcom, the media regulator, over the content of its programming as it attempts to import Right-leaning, US-style panel shows and current affairs to Britain. In February, GB News won a crucial major High Court battle against the watchdog after a judge quashed the regulator's ruling that the channel breached impartiality rules by airing programmes presented by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a then-Tory MP. The channel is separately challenging a £100,000 penalty handed down by Ofcom over claims it broke impartiality rules with a 2024 programme featuring Rishi Sunak, then the prime minister, alleging he had been given an 'uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his government'.
