“Hosted by Gen Z conservative firebrand Freya Leach, the show lasted just six weeks – dogged by controversy after a guest made inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks on September 21.”, — write: www.dailymail.co.uk
Hosted by Gen Z conservative firebrand Freya Leach, the show lasted just six weeks – dogged by controversy after a guest made inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks on September 21.
Following an internal review into the show’s ‘editorial processes’, Sky News initially downgraded Freya Fires Up from live to a pre-recorded format last week.
But the network has now taken it a step further, scrapping the program altogether – though Leach remains employed and will continue co-hosting The Late Debate.
‘We have undertaken a thorough internal review, implemented its recommendations, and taken appropriate action with everyone involved in this incident,’ a Sky News Australia spokesperson told Inside Mail.
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‘A decision has been made to discontinue the program. Freya Leach will remain as co-host of The Late Debate.
‘We took immediate action during the live broadcast to cut off the guest, our host promptly apologised, and we ensured the content was not published or republished to any of our digital platforms.’
Leach’s show was scheduled to air Sunday night but was abruptly replaced by Kieran Gilbert‘s Sunday Agenda.
The switch was so last-minute that Foxtel’s on-demand service still listed the broadcast as ‘Freya Fires Up’ even as the replacement aired.
A Sky News insider told Inside Mail it was a case of ‘apologies not being enough’ after the show ‘dropped the ball’ by airing a guest who ‘shouldn’t have been anywhere near a mainstream television studio’.
Leach has long been seen as a rising star at Sky News, with senior figures reportedly viewing her as a network ‘golden girl’ with a bright future.
Ironically, her meteoric rise at the network had coincided with former host Liz Storer – whom she replaced on The Late Debate – being sidelined for being considered too ‘controversial’.
Her continued role on The Late Debate suggests she hasn’t been held personally responsible for the scandal.
Viewers were stunned by 22-year-old Leach’s interview with right-wing Scottish influencer Ryan Williams, 33, who is known for wanting to inflict ‘maximum damage on Islam’.
Williams was yanked off air within a minute after a senior producer heard him call Muslims ‘terrorists’ – while wearing bacon on his shoulders to ‘protect’ himself.
Leach, who had introduced Williams as a ‘social media sensation’ and conservative political strategist, swiftly apologised after the guest was cut off.
She later offered a longer apology on The Late Debate.
‘He was asked specifically for his reaction to the Charlie Kirk assassination and its fallout, but instead used our platform to spread his harmful views,’ Leach said.
A network insider told The Sydney Morning Herald that Sky’s head of programs, Mark Calvert, was on leave at the time and had not signed off on Williams as a guest.
Reports last week suggested both Leach and the producer would retain their roles despite the controversy.
In a statement issued on September 22 – the day after the segment aired – a Sky News spokesperson said: ‘We apologise unreservedly for the deeply offensive comments made by a guest during a live broadcast on Sunday evening.
‘These remarks were wholly inappropriate and unacceptable and have no place on our network. The guest responsible should never have appeared.
‘He was specifically asked for his reaction to the Charlie Kirk assassination and its fallout but instead used our platform to spread his harmful views.
‘We took immediate action during the live broadcast to cut off the guest, and our host promptly apologised to viewers. The content was not republished on any of our platforms.
‘We recognise the harm such rhetoric can cause and take full responsibility for this failure in our editorial processes.
‘We have begun an immediate review of the program including our guest booking and vetting procedures to prevent this type of incident from occurring again.’
Back in August, Sky News had been promoting Leach as the network’s big new star.
The show was pitched as a no-holds-barred debate panel, promising ‘robust and even confrontational takes on the issues which really matter’.
It took just six weeks for Sky News to learn that even ‘no holds barred’ has its limits.