‘You are very brave!’ Martin Daubney praises BBC newsreader who was AXED for appearing on GB News: ‘Standing up for principles’
A BBC freelance newsreader has been axed from his role after appearing on GB News to discuss his charity Christmas song aimed at highlighting pensioner fuel poverty.
Chris Middleton, 33, revealed he lost his position at the BBC following his decision to speak about his track “Freezing This Christmas” on the People’s channel
The song, a rewritten version of the classic “Lonely This Christmas,” was penned by Middleton to raise awareness about pensioners losing their winter fuel payments.
Speaking to Martin Daubney on GB News, Middleton explained he was told his appearance constituted “a conflict of interest” with his BBC role.
He said: “The reason, as you might imagine, that I was told it was because it was a conflict of interest.
“It would be against the BBC’s impartiality rules to allow me to continue my job as a newsreader while also putting out a song which of course it was political. The main goal of it was to raise money and raise awareness for pensioners.”
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He added: “You were the first person in the news to actually contact me to speak about it. At that point, I had a choice do I stay anonymous and maybe the song won’t do as well, or do I put my face out there?
“Do I put my name out there and try and push the song as much as possible and try and raise as much awareness, knowing that potentially it would cost me my freelance job with the BBC.
“Initially when I told them that I was coming on your show, I was going to speak about the song, this is what I was doing. They said to me, okay, you’re doing this and basically you can’t work here anymore, unfortunately.”
Martin said: “So part of me feels like saying well done for for sticking up your principles, being so brave.
“I think you might give me a clip around the ear or because I cost you your job at Christmas.”
He responded: ” I made the decision that it was the right thing to do, and I think it was the right thing to do.
“The amount of money that’s been raised, the amount of awareness that’s been raised for pensioners.
“Everything that’s happened over the last month, it’s been an absolute whirlwind and it’s been absolutely brilliant. Thank you to everyone for your support on that.
“It was my choice, knowing what would happen. It is a shame. It’s a shame that you can’t do both of these things. You know, it is political, but it’s raising money for charity. At the end of the day.”
The lyrics of Middleton’s protest song directly challenge the Government’s policy on winter fuel support.
“It’ll be freezing this Christmas, without fuel at home, it’ll be freezing this Christmas, while Keir Starmer is warm,” the song states.
Middleton revealed he composed the track in less than an hour, with the aim of highlighting the plight of millions of pensioners who have had their winter fuel payments cut.
The song continues with the poignant line: “It’ll be cold, so cold, without fuel at home, this Christmas.”