James O’Brien issues apology after facing AXE for parroting ‘antisemitic’ caller: ‘I’m genuinely sorry’
James O’Brien has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after sparking serious controversy over an antisemitic comment he read out during a live radio broadcast.
On Monday’s show, the LBC presenter read aloud a listener’s comment that claimed Jewish children in the UK are taught to loathe Arabs like cockroaches who “need to be crushed”.
Despite previously claiming the comment was read out in the interest of “objectivity”, O’Brien opened today’s show by addressing the incident, which exploded among the Jewish community and general public.
He said: “At this time yesterday on the show, I read out a message from a listener called Chris who said that his wife had been brought up in the Jewish faith and had attended what he described as a Shabbat school.
“He went on to make further claims about what he said she had been taught in that school.
“As with all the texts and messages that I read out on the programme, I did so in good faith, but the message has understandably upset a lot of people, and I regret taking those unsubstantiated claims at face value, and I’m genuinely sorry for that.”
O’Brien, who authored ‘How to be Right … in a world so wrong’ in 2018, added: “It is very important that I get that out there, and thank you for your attention.”
The apology was prompted by a fierce call for the presenter’s axing, and a firestorm of discussion regarding the flagrant statement.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has called for the comments “completely unacceptable and highly offensive” and pushed for O’Brien to be taken off air.
“We are urgently seeking a meeting with senior executives following the completely unacceptable and highly offensive comments made by James O’Brien on his LBC show today,” the group said.
“Broadcasting such a transparent falsehood and demonizing the British Jewish community, at a time when antisemitism in this country is at terrifyingly high levels, must have clear consequences.
“LBC should apologise, and take Mr O’Brien off the air.”
“@LBC should apologise, and take @mrjamesob off air.” – VP @AndrewGilbert1
See our full statement below 👇 https://t.co/P8zTPeq5nR pic.twitter.com/qqsHf7uN8w
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) July 22, 2025
Labelled by many to be one of the most grotesque antisemitic smears ever aired on British radio, people question how the clip was allowed to air in the first place, and then further be pushed and promoted by LBC.
The clip was posted to LBC’s socials, before it was swiftly removed by the corporation; however other users have since reposted it.
“@LBC has gone full on Nazi”, one user wrote on X. “Spreading lies & poison.”
Another added: “James O’Brien demonstrated how to be hung by your own petard.”
Commenting on the incident, the Campaign Against Antisemitism added: “a modern blood libel on national radio, amplified by a host who likely wouldn’t think twice about cutting off the caller were he promoting such grotesque falsehoods about another minority.
“No such generosity for the Jews.”
The former Newsnight host left the BBC in 2018 after being criticised for his anti-Brexit views, which were felt to be misaligned with the corporation’s policy on impartiality.
He left the BBC on good terms, saying the corporation had the finest selection of journalists in the world.
GB News understands the broadcast has also been reported to the Metropolitan Police for antisemitic hate speech.
The clip has also allegedly been reported to the media regulator Ofcom.