ITV has found itself firefighting behind the scenes after a GMB interview sparked a wave of criticism, with presenter Ed Balls at the centre of the row.
The heated exchange, which aired last week, quickly drew attention after Ed was labelled “clueless” by critics. Now, senior figures at ITV are said to be weighing up whether the presenter should issue a formal apology.
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Ed Balls’ controversial GMB interview
The controversy comes after a deeply concerning incident in North London, where four Jewish volunteer ambulances were firebombed in what has been described as an antisemitic attack.
In the days that followed, antisemitism campaigner Dov Forman appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss the attack. However, the interview took an unexpected turn when Ed was accused of engaging in “whataboutery”, prompting backlash from viewers and politicians.
“When you see last week the shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy singling out the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, for praying in Trafalgar Square in a Muslim group and saying that is wrong and shouldn’t happen, isn’t that the kind of intolerance and divisiveness which is causing problems in the Jewish community right now?” Ed asked.
Dov pushed back, replying: “I think the shadow justice secretary was going to a point that many people in this country feel about Islamist extremism.”
Ed Balls slammed
Refusing to be drawn further, Dov added: “I won’t get drawn into a debate about whether his words were right or wrong. We are here to talk about the antisemitic attack this morning in the Jewish community.
“Certainly, we need to be careful with our words, but there are people, including many in the Jewish community, who are worried about the spread of Islamist extremism, which is running rampant.”
The exchange did not go down well with audiences. Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick was among those to criticise Ed, calling him “clueless” and describing the interview as “deeply unpleasant”.
The Campaign for Media Standards also weighed in, arguing that viewers would have expected “focused questions about the rise and threat of antisemitism in the UK” following such a serious incident, rather than a shift towards wider political discussion.
“This isn’t balance or insight; it’s poor journalism that misses the point and dilutes the seriousness of antisemitism,” the group said.
GMB have apologised (Credit: ITV)
ITV forced to step in
Behind the scenes, ITV is now said to be taking the situation seriously. According to reports, discussions are happening “at the very top” about how to handle the fallout, including whether an apology from Ed is necessary.
A spokesperson for Good Morning Britain has already addressed the issue, saying: “The intention behind Ed’s question was to ask whether a culture of intolerance was placing Jews at greater risk of harm in the UK. We regret any misunderstanding and apologise for any offence caused.”
With pressure mounting and scrutiny continuing, all eyes are now on ITV to see whether further action will be taken.
GMB airs on weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
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