Ed Balls has announced he is taking a break from Good Morning Britain.
The former Labour MP and GMB host told fans he was “taking a break” from the ITV daytime show to enjoy the summer holidays but would return in September. Next month, he’ll return to screens with his co-host Susanna Reid.
The 57-year-old ITV presenter took to Instagram with a snap showing him holding a pavlova. He praised his co-star Kate Garraway after a week of “turbulent times”.
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He wrote on Instagram: “What better way to celebrate the start of summer holidays than with a pavlova – our family favourite. “Loved working with Kate [Garraway] last week during such national turbulent times. I’m back with Susanna at the beginning of September when schools and Parliament return – see you soon.”
(Image: edballs/Instagram)
Last week, GMB was hit with over 8k Ofcom complaints relating to Ed’s interviews with his wife, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Independent MP Zarah Sultana. Some viewers had been left furious with Ed over the segments.
In the heated interview, Zarah had argued that the goverment should have branded the riots as “Islamophobic” and racist and slammed an article Ed had written about immigration. There was criticism about Ed’s and Kate’s questioning of the MP on air.
(Image: ITV)
After her appearance on the show, Zarah wrote on social media: “The sneering contempt of ‘journalists’ will never stop me from calling out racism and Islamophobic hate.” Some viewers had branded the interviews “vile” – and accused him of going “low ball” on Yvette.
A spokesperson for Ofcom said: “We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.” ITV defended Ed’s controversial interview with his wife, claiming it was “balanced, fair and duly impartial”.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
A spokesperson for the channel wrote: “Following a weekend of rioting and national unrest, GMB featured a range of interviews and discussion around this national emergency on [Monday’s] programme which included James Cleverly, shadow home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, home secretary. We are satisfied that these interviews were balanced, fair and duly impartial.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
