Clive Myrie has been filmed lashing out at a pro-Palestine protestor who disrupted his event, sparking backlash from students who have branded him a ‘Zionist’.
Footage has emerged of the BBC newsreader calling a heckler a ‘f****** idiot’ during a university Q&A event on September 25, over accusations he spread ‘Israeli propaganda’.
Moments after the heated exchange at the University of the Arts London, where Myrie has recently been appointed Chancellor, he slammed the ‘lunatic who just walked out and didn’t have the courtesy to hear my response’.
He added: ‘I have a f****** idiot shout at me in public and then leave. He doesn’t want to hear the other side.’
The 60-year-old later apologised for his choice of language but stood by his defence of open debate.
Footage has emerged of Clive Myrie , who is a regular newsreader for the national broadcaster, slamming the ‘f****** idiot’ who heckled him during a Q&A event on September 25
The 60-year-old later apologised for his choice of language but stood by his defence of open debate
Throughout the event Myrie spoke with other students in attendance about the importance of free speech.
He said: ‘He’s made his point and he’s left. Stands up and he’s left. He’s not stayed to listen to my argument, notice. Stands up, shouts, you (the audience) applaud. But he doesn’t stay to hear what I’ve got to say. That’s pathetic.’
Later on in the exchange, he discussed how he will listen to student concerns in his new role but added: ‘I’m not having anyone walk out on me. I’m not having it. I am not going to be abused by students.’
He adds that he is happy to discuss his journalism with regard to the Hamas-Israel conflict, but is not happy to be ‘slagged off’.
A UAL spokesman said: ‘On Wednesday 25 Sept, Clive Myrie held a Q&A session with students to mark the start of the term.
‘During the event, some students expressed their views on the ongoing war in Israel-Palestine. At the start of the session, Clive used language he regrets. His apology was sent to attendees shortly after the event ended.
‘Clive stands by his sentiment that dialogue should be rooted in mutual respect. At UAL, we will continue to uphold freedom of expression and encourage constructive conversations about all topics in our community.’
Myrie and the BBC have been contacted for comment.
The news presenter earns £310,000 for hosting bulletins, as well as an undisclosed fee for Mastermind which is produced by the Corporation’s commercial arm BBC Studios
BBC host Clive Myrie has apologised for failing to declare earnings from eleven corporate events outside the broadcaster
This comes just days after the presenter had to apologise for failing to declare at least £65,000 of earnings from corporate events.
The Mastermind host earned the money from corporate events over the last 12 months, including speeches at functions hosted by Dutch bank ING and the Royal College of Surgeons.
On top of his £310,000-a-year salary for presenting the News At One, News At Six and News At Ten, Myrie earns an undisclosed sum for his work on the quiz show.
He had received income for a total of eleven events over the past year, earning between £5,000 and £10,000 for nine of them, and over £10,000 for the remaining two, the Sunday Times reported.
BBC TV stars have been required to declare earnings from outside sources since 2021.
In a recent list of the Corporation’s high profile earners, Mr Myrie was found to have received the most from external sources, six of which he had declared this year until June.
In a recent list of the Corporation’s high profile earners, Mr Myrie was found to have received the most from external sources, six of which he had declared this year until June
Events for which he was paid included the British Insurance Brokers’ Association conference, which was previously hosted by his colleague, disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards.
But his list omitted eleven gigs, including keynote speeches at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s annual business conference and Legal & General Investment Management’s UK Wholesale Conference.
He also chaired a debate at a GreenTalks Live event at the Isle of Man Energy & Sustainability Centre and hosted a lunch for the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association.
Most recently, he spoke at the Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce conference in June.
Mr Myrie joined the BBC in 1987 as a local radio trainee reporter as has risen to one of the Corporation’s most visible stars.
He is a regular face on news bulletins, and anchored the BBC’s election night broadcast in July alongside journalist Laura Kuenssberg.
A source said that Mr Myrie had been ‘very foolish’ not to list the corporate gigs, saying: ‘Whatever sins of greed or pride they commit, declare it and you’re forgiven.’
They added that there was ‘quite a bit of bitterness’ over the issue, which they said was yet more evidence that star anchors are ‘not deities the BBC builds them up to be’.
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