A number of LBC presenters have been fired over the years for a variety of reasons. Much like many broadcasters, LBC has had to let some of its biggest names go after controversy arose over those people or things they may have said.
LBC (London Broadcasting Company) is one of the better known British radio stations, known for its telephone programs inviting the general public to participate in heated topics of discussion. The radio station is operated and owned by the radio company Global.
Headquartered in London, LBC was officially the UK’s first licensed commercial radio station, launching its first broadcast in 1973, just a week before Capital Radio.
LBC had another role to play in radio history as it helped usher in the start of independent radio newscasting for the UK.
Fired LBC presenters: who got the boot?
The London Broadcasting Corporation is one of the most popular radio stations in the UK and a major name in the talk show industry.
Over the years, LBC has had a number of controversies, including issues surrounding the appearance of Tony Blair and the Jeni Barnett controversy surrounding the MMR vaccine.
There are a number of current presenters on the channel, from James O’Brien to Andrew Pierce and Andrew Marr.
It is worth noting that in this list of fired LBC presenters we are not looking at people who simply chose to leave the LBC of their own accord. For example, although some people were concerned that Ian Collins might be removed from the LBC before deciding to return to the BBC, he announced that was not the case.
Here are some of the LBC presenters who have been fired over the years.
1.Katie Hopkins
Katie Hopkins, a presenter who rose to prominence after appearing on The Apprentice in 2007, joined the LBC with her own talk show. Katie almost immediately became a source of heated debate for many listeners thanks to her controversial opinions.
In 2017, the London Broadcasting Company asked Katie to leave the channel “immediately”.
Although a series of controversial opinions from Hopkins over the years might have been enough to prompt her firing, after one particularly problematic tweet, she was asked to leave. Hopkins called for a “final solution” to dealing with terrorists after the horrific Manchester attack.
Many followers questioned her wording, but Hopkins later corrected the tweet to ask for a “true solution,” calling the earlier version false. However, some Twitter users alerted police to the comments, claiming the tweet could incite religious or racial hatred.
LBC presenter James O’Brien claimed he was ashamed to share the air with her and called Hopkins a “monstrous” person. Interestingly, there were also “newsroom cheers” from other people on the LBC when Hopkins announced her departure.
Since she left the LBC, Hopkins has still made endless attempts to make her voice heard, often via social media. Many people praised the decision to remove Hopkins from the LBC show, but some questioned why she wasn’t asked to leave sooner.
2. Maajid Nawaz
LBC presenter Maajid Nawaz officially “left” LBC in January 2022 after controversy arose over his tweets regarding Covid-19 vaccinations. Nawaz joined the LBC station in 2016 and usually presented between 1pm and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
According to Maajid, it was not his decision to leave the station, but radio claimed his contract with LBC “ended” very soon and they had decided not to renew his tenure. Nawaz tweeted that he refuses to “walk quietly” after his release.
News of Nawaz’s departure came shortly after he posted a tweet linking to a report on mandatory vaccinations for people over 50 in Italy. The tweet condemned the action as an attempt to suspend human rights.
This was just one comment in a long list of statements Maajid has made about the vaccine in recent years.
Nawaz has been criticized by many for spreading “fake news” and stoking fears about the vaccine. He has constantly argued against the effectiveness of the vaccine and subsequent boosters, in a way that has been described as “dangerously irresponsible” by colleague Iain Dale.
Commenting on the somewhat slow decision to remove Nawaz from the company, a former LBC employee said the company tends to keep “shock jockeys” around until they are forced to remove them.
3.Nigel Farage
Regardless of his position on radio, Nigel Farage is a figure of considerable controversy across Britain and has become a major talking point over the years. In June 2020, LBC announced that Farage had to leave the channel with “immediate” effect.
The Brexit Party leader was given an evening show on the talk station on weekdays, during which he moderated a series of controversial talks. The program, hosted by Nigel, regularly made headlines, similar to a US right-wing show.
LBC announced in 2020 that Farage’s contract with the broadcaster was expiring and after “talking” it was agreed that he would step down.
LBC thanked Nigel for the “enormous contributions” he has made to the station. However, colleague James O’Brien tweeted about finally getting the channel “back” after Farage was asked to leave.
Employees at Global Media (the owner of LBC) raised concerns about Farage’s approach to many complex issues, including the Black Lives Matter movement.
Despite some angry reactions from listeners, Farage’s show stayed on the air for three years, giving callers a chance to chat about political issues.
A former head of UKIP, Farage was one of the people responsible for initiating the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
He was eventually asked to leave LBC after tweeting about the Black Lives Matters protesters and comparing them to “the Taliban” for destroying statues of slave traders.
A Global spokesman issued a statement on the dismissal, saying the group is taking several steps to improve its approach to “inclusiveness”.
4.Steve Allen
One of the latest names on our list of sacked LBC presenters, Steve Allen has yet to be officially removed from the London Broadcasting Corporation. However, the outrage and anger at the presenter’s recent behavior has many people assuming Allen won’t be around long.
Colleagues of Steve Allen at LBC have almost universally called for his sacking from the network after backlash over comment about Tilly Ramsey. Allen called Ramsay a “chubby little thing” on his morning show.
Allen has worked as a disc jockey and radio host for several years. His work at the London Broadcasting Company dates back to 1979, making him the station’s longest-serving presenter.
However, most people agree that this will not save Allen from public anger.
Tilly Ramsey hit back at the LBC presenter, saying she would not tolerate people questioning other people’s looks or weight. The social media personality received a surge of support from celebrity peers and fans. LBC has not yet responded.
This isn’t the first time Steve has faced controversy after making “fat-phobic” comments. Over the years, Allen’s peers have targeted him for his outdated and archaic comments.
At this point, many of the LBC’s presenters believe Allen’s old-fashioned views have been perpetuated on the station for too long.
It is currently uncertain if Steve will be asked to leave LBC entirely or simply have to apologize to Tilly. Ofcom has confirmed that it is investigating complaints against Allen.
LBC and its controversial presenters
As the UK’s oldest commercial radio station and one of the most popular programs for political talk and debate, the London Broadcasting Corporation is no stranger to controversy.
Although not all presenters associated with LBC have had a history of being associated with hate topics, the channel has begun to gain some reputation.
The decision to host a number of controversial names, including both Katie Hopkins and Nigel Farage, despite the fear it caused among listeners, has led people to question LBC’s methods.
The broadcaster appears to be avoiding sacking most of its presenters, even after regular complaints and issues with Ofcom.
The LBC’s strategies and its use of more problematic presenters offer a glimpse of why the more argumentative, “shockjock” style presenters in the US have such a lasting effect on their audiences.
Global Radio has a number of other stations, such as Heart and Galaxy, that do not follow the same programming structure. Nonetheless, the parent company had to announce the steps it has taken in recent years to perform more admirably on inclusion and diversity.
Radio fidelity: For the love of radio.
