Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy back on air after suspension for swearing about MP

Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has returned to the broadcaster’s flagship programme after being taken off air for swearing about Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker.

The presenter made no reference to the incident as he appeared back on the show on Monday night.

He was suspended for a week following the incident on Wednesday October 19 following an interview with the Tory MP.

During an off-air moment after his exchange with Baker, Guru-Murthy was heard to say: “What a c***.”

Channel 4 said his outburst had breached its code of conduct.

A statement from the broadcaster said: “Channel 4 has a strict code of conduct for all its employees, including its programming teams and on-air presenters, and takes any breaches seriously.

“Following an off-air incident, Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week.”

Following the incident Guru-Murthy tweeted: “After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air.

“While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly.

“I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry.”

Earlier, in an interview with Times Radio, Baker said that sacking Guru-Murthy would be a “service to the public” if he was found to be in breach of his code of conduct.

“I had an interview earlier with a journalist I don’t have a great deal of regard for who I felt was misrepresenting the situation through the construction of his question, which I called out, I think live on air, or I thought it was a pre-record,” he said.

“And he clearly didn’t like that, quite right, too. But I’d be quite honest, I spent a long time live on air, calling him out on his conduct as a journalist and glad to do so any time.

“But it’s most unfortunate that he’s sworn on air like that. If it’s in breach of his code of conduct, I do hope they sack him – it would be a service to the public.”

Baker later replied to Guru-Murthy’s tweet, accepting the apology and saying he “appreciated” the gesture, and told him that “all is forgiven”.

The interview came after a tumultuous day in Westminster which saw Suella Braverman resign as home secretary, to be replaced by Grant Shapps.