Nigel Farage to host television show on GB News
Published: 18:32, 17 July 2021
Updated: 22:39, 17 July 2021
Nigel Farage is set to host his own television show.
The former Brexit Party and UKIP leader, who has lived in north Kent, has announced he will host a prime time programme, starting from this Monday.
It comes after Mr Farage quit frontline politics in March this year.
Mr Farage also says he “will not be taking the knee” on the show on GB News which will be on screens from Monday to Thursday at 7pm for one hour.
Mr Farage, who was born in Farnborough, Orpington, says he is excited about the new venture.
Taking to Twitter with a video message, he said: “Since politics, I have done a few bits of broadcasting and broadcasting matters - it really, really does.
“It gets people to look at issues and think about issues in different ways, and to be very influential.
"I did three-and-a-half years at LBC with, I think, some degree of success.”
He continued: “Well, I’m now going to be doing it on a regular basis here on GB News because at 7pm this Monday, July 19, a new show starts. It is from 7pm until 8pm.
“It is called ‘Farage’ - I’ll do it on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening.”
Mr Farage launched the Brexit Party, he says, when he realised Britain was being 'betrayed' by the EU deal being negotiated by then-Prime Minister Theresa May.
He later renamed it Reform UK after the UK formally quit the European Union.
Before that, he had led UKIP from 2006 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2016.
He says he will only be aiming to interview experts on the subjects that will be discussed on the show while appealing for viewers' opinions as well.
“I will interview people who really understand their subject, not just some minister to spout the party line,” the 58-year-old added.
“And I’m going to want your opinions too. So be there or be square - Monday at 7pm.”
His Tweet which accompanied the video message said: “Watch my new Prime Time evening show on GB News from next week.
“Tune into ‘Farage’ - Monday to Thursday at 7pm.
“I will not be taking the knee on this show!”
Mr Farage stood for a Parliamentary seat in 2015 when he made an ill-fated attempt to become the South Thanet MP but was narrowly defeated by the Conservative Craig Mackinlay.
He had announced then his intention to leave politics saying, in 2016, he “wanted his life back.”
But by May 2019, his Brexit party emerged as the clear winner in the European Parliament elections in Kent and Mr Farage became one of four MEPs elected across the south east.
Newly-launched GB News, the channel Mr Farage will be working for, made headlines this week after saying host Guto Harri had breached standards by taking the knee on air in support of England footballers.
Mr Harri had been discussing the online racial abuse of black players after England's defeat in the Euro 2020 final last Sunday.
GB News said: “GB News stands four square against racism in all its forms.
“We do not have a company line on taking the knee. Some of our guests have been in favour, some against. All are anti-racist.
“We have editorial standards that all GB News journalists uphold.”
But they continued: “On Tuesday, a contributing presenter took the knee live on air and this was an unacceptable breach of our standards.”
GB News is on channel 236 on Freeview and channel 515 on Sky.
Read more: All the latest news from Kent
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Thomas Reeves