ITV News has received backlash over its decision to allow presenter Rageh Omaar to continue presenting the News at Ten after falling ‘unwell’.
Rageh Omaar, 56, was presenting on Friday when he appeared to struggle to read his lines, prompting concern online.
Omaar continued through to the end of the show before signing off. ITV later redacted its scheduled re-run on ITV+1 before a spokesperson confirmed the presenter had become ‘unwell while presenting… and is now receiving medical care’.
Users took to Twitter/X to express their concerns and share well-wishing messages. One user wrote: ‘Rageh Omaar was clearly struggling on Thursday night (24 hours before) – big questions about duty of care here.’
Another wrote: ‘Concerning scenes on ITV News last night & wishing Rageh Omaar a speedy recovery.’
‘Why did ITV not immediately stop the broadcast and provide help?’ the user continued.
Fiona Clark, a staff nurse, claimed that she had called the broadcaster at 10:10pm and told them that ‘as an ICU nurse who worked in stroke that Rageh Omaar required an emergency ambulance, he was dysphasic, drooped left eye, slurred speech and agitated all FAST symptoms’.
ITV News confirmed Omaar had fallen ‘unwell’ but did not provide any further details.
Rageh Omaar, 56, the ITV News International Affairs Editor was rounding up the top stories of the day on the News at 10 show when he suddenly becomes incoherent while live on air
Mr Omaar, a Somali-born British journalist joined ITV News in 2013 and became their International Affairs Editor in 2014
Omaar was presenting the News at Ten programme on Friday evening when he appeared to struggle to introduce a bulletin.
The International Affairs Editor continued through to the end of the segment, thanking viewers before the credits rolled.
The credits continue for nearly 20 seconds as the camera stays focused on the presenter.
News at Ten usually runs for 30 minutes from 10pm.
Viewers immediately took to social media to share their concern for Omaar, with one ICU nurse claiming to have contacted ITV News as early at 10:10pm to warn them of possible stroke symptoms.
Investigative Journalist Mark Williams-Thomas wrote: ‘It was clear #RagehOmaar was not well last night, that’s when you need people in the gallery to step up, go straight to VT .
‘It certainly looks like paramedics were called and he was take to hospital. I wish him well and ITV News will now need to review this to ensure welfare issues spotted and dealt with earlier.’
Broadcaster India Willoughby wrote on Twitter/X: ‘Hope [Rageh Omaar] is ok – one of my fav newsreaders.
‘Worrying to see what happened – but unfair to blame those in the [ITV News] gallery for carrying on.
‘It’s live tv, maybe only 2 people in the gallery on a Fri eve. Sure they will have asked if ok. Get well soon Rageh Omaar’
Fiona Clark, an ICU nurse, wrote on Twitter/X: ‘Unfortunately something I [have] seen regularly as a stroke nurse, absolutely shocked at the lack of urgency to get medical attention.’
‘After speaking to other experience[d] stroke nurses he was most definitely a positive FAST call, hoping he is receiving the proper care now.’
FAST is an acronym employed as a test for symptoms of a possible stroke.
Face weakness, Arm weakness and Speech problems indicate Time to call emergency services, per the mnemonic.
‘I told them their presenter was unwell, they told me they were aware,’ Clark claimed.
‘We are aware that viewers are concerned about Rageh Omaar’s wellbeing,’ an ITV News spokesperson said last night.
‘Rageh became unwell while presenting News at Ten on Friday and is now receiving medical care. He thanks everyone for their well wishes.’
ITV+1 also pulled the programme from its re-runs, as a message on screen said: ‘We’ll be back soon. We’re temporarily unable to bring you our +1 service. We will resume shortly.’
As of Saturday morning, the ITV X website did not display the ITV News at Ten show.
He won numerous awards for his exceptional journalism during his time reporting in the middle east, including a Peabody Award for his work in Sudan
ITV+1 later pulled the programme from its re-runs. A message on screen said: ‘We’ll be back soon. We’re temporarily unable to bring you our +1 service’
Omaar, a Somali-born British journalist rose to global prominance through his work as a foreign correspondent for the BBC during the invasion of Iraq and the fall of Baghdad in 2003.
He won numerous awards for his exceptional work during this time, including a Peabody Award for his reports for the BBC from Sudan and a BAFTA for the BBC’s coverage of the invasion of Afghanistan.
There, Omaar was the only western TV journalist to report from inside Taliban-held Kabul.
After this he worked at Al Jazeera International from 2006-2010, where he presented the nightly weekday documentary series Witness, serving as a Middle Eastern correspondent for its London Division.
He joined ITV News as a special correspondent and presenter in January 2013, reporting on a broad range of news stories, as well as producing special in-depth reports from all around the UK and abroad.
MailOnline contacted ITV News for comment.
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