Carol Vorderman has criticised the BBC for suggesting its decision to sack her was a “sexist” move.
The former Countdown star, 63, claimed in an interview with The Sunday Service Magazine that she was ‘threatened’ by the channel over her controversial tweets about the then Conservative government.
Carol was fired from BBC Radio Wales because she was ‘unwilling to stop’ expressing her ‘strong beliefs’ on her social media pages.
The same week she was fired, Huw Edwards was arrested for making indecent images of children, a charge he pleaded guilty to in July.
Speaking to the publication, she said: ‘The BBC management made two decisions about two presenters within 24 hours. One of them was to sack me over five innocent tweets.
Carol Vorderman has criticised the BBC for suggesting their decision to sack her was a “sexist” move after she was removed from her radio show over her views on the Conservatives.
In the same week that Carol was fired, Huw Edwards was arrested for making indecent images of children, a charge he pleaded guilty to in July.
‘The other, knowing the seriousness of Huw’s arrest, wanted to keep him and continue paying his salary, I mean… no sexism!’
Carol was accused of having ‘flagrantly breached’ the BBC’s impartiality rules with her anti-Tory outbursts, including calling ministers ‘a bunch of lying, greedy, corrupt, destructive, hateful, divisive, gaslighting thugs’.
The BBC has introduced new social media rules for its presenters after outrage last year over Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker’s tweet comparing the government’s policies in Rwanda to Nazi Germany.
Carol indicated that the change in social media rules posed a threat.
She told the publication: ‘It was a threat. ‘You shut up or we’ll fire you.’ Well, fire me then.’
MailOnline has asked the BBC for comment.
Carol has sent controversial tweets to ministers, including asking whether the Conservative Party is the ‘dirtiest party in history’ and saying the public is ‘ashamed’ of the Home Secretary’s recent comments on homelessness.
Suella Braverman claimed on the social media platform that sleeping on the streets is sometimes a “lifestyle choice” and called for an end to “pitching tents in public spaces”.
The former Countdown star told The Sunday Times Magazine she was ‘threatened’ by the BBC over her controversial political tweets
Carol was fired from her position at BBC Radio Wales because she was ‘unwilling to stop’ expressing her ‘strong beliefs’ on her social media pages
The presenter said she was ‘not prepared to stop’ expressing her ‘strong beliefs’ on Twitter and Instagram
Carol was accused of ‘flagrantly breaching’ the BBC’s impartiality rules with her anti-Tory outbursts, calling ministers ‘a bunch of lying, greedy, divisive, fraudulent people’.
Carol quoted her post and said, “What I want to stop, and what the law abiding majority wants to stop, is your disgusting government staying in power for one more day.
“You do not speak for us. Every week you humiliate democracy further. We are ashamed of you. Go now.”
In August 2023, the presenter mocked Penny Mordaunt’s call for a reintroduction of national service.
She wrote: ‘Bring back National Service’, cries Penny Mordaunt. What nonsense. She also spits that only the Tories believe in personal responsibility and looking after others. WOW! The current Tories only care about themselves and their snouts in the troughs of power and money. FACT’
And in June 2023 she tweeted: ‘The Tory Gov have now lost about half the people who voted for them in 2019. Why? Because they are a bunch of lying, greedy, corrupt, destructive, hateful, divisive, gaslighting thugs. No focus group needed Sunak….he’ll tell you the same thing…’
Huw, 62, was arrested on suspicion of receiving the images through a WhatsApp exchange with paedophile Alex Williams, 25, in November 2023. He was charged on June 26 this year.
In July, Huw pleaded guilty at Westminster Crown Court to possessing seven category A images of children, 12 category B images and 22 category C images of children.
Until last year, the former newsreader was a main presenter on BBC One’s News at Ten, where he often reported on major national events.
And even though he hasn’t watched the BBC programme in over a year, he gets to keep his monthly salary.
Huw has not commented publicly since his suspension a year ago.
MailOnline understands he was not paid a salary by the BBC, but did receive his £439,000-a-year salary while he was suspended.
Huw was the corporation’s highest-paid newsreader, with a pay scale of £435,000 – £439,999 in the 2022/2023 financial year, according to the corporation’s most recent annual report.
Huw, 62, was arrested on suspicion of receiving the images via a WhatsApp exchange with paedophile Alex Williams, 25, in November 2023. He was charged on June 26 this year
This was up from £410,000-£414,000 the year before, which placed him fourth on the 2022/23 list.
Television executive and former editor and chief executive of ITN, Stewart Purvis, said last year: ‘Huw Edwards was paid half a million pounds a year to do nothing. I don’t think that situation could have lasted any longer.
‘They say it was at Huw Edwards’ request, but there will be relief at the BBC that the situation has been resolved, because it is frankly embarrassing for the BBC how long it has taken to resolve it.
He continued: ‘If you look at the huge importance of Huw Edwards and all the other relevant issues, who is going to present the BBC’s election manifesto, for example?’
