Andrew Neil ‘close to tears’ over GB News technical difficulties amid speculation over return date

Andrew Neil announced his break from GB News in June (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Andrew Neil is said to have been ‘close to tears’ over the technical difficulties GB News has suffered since its launch amid speculation over whether he will be returning after his hiatus.

When GB News launched earlier this year, the channel is said to have peaked with 336,000 viewers in its opening minutes on air.

Since then, the channel has been plagued with issues and controversies, recording zero viewers on some shows after presenter Guto Harri took the knee live on air in support of the England men’s football team.

The ongoing technical difficulties on the channel have been a cause of frustration for viewers, in addition to reportedly deeply upsetting GB News chair Andrew.

According to The Telegraph, there is speculation that Andrew might never return to GB News after announcing his break in late June, despite his spokesperson saying that he will be back in September.

A source told the publication that Andrew ‘looked miserable, dejected and seriously stressed during the two weeks he was in Paddington’.

Andrew insisted GB News has a ‘great future’ despite declining viewing figures (Picture: GB News)

‘It wasn’t just the shambolic launch getting him down. It was the relentless technical failures making proper broadcasting impossible,’ they said.

‘One night I was in the newsroom as he came off air after another hour of technical disasters. I think he was close to tears.’

The report claims that there is a rift between Andrew and GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos, alleging that Andrew has been ‘frozen out of decisions’ on the channel.

‘It’s almost like he was never there. We hear rumours that relations between the chairman and chief executive have completely broken down,’ another source said.

After it emerged that GB News had garnered zero viewers for some of its shows after Guto took the knee live on air, Andrew insisted that the channel has a ‘great future’ despite its declining viewing figures.

More: GB News

In a tweet shared in mid-July, the broadcaster stressed that ‘start ups are fraught and fractious’.

‘@GBNEWS is no exception. But the news channel is finding its feet and has a great future. Watch this space,’ he wrote.

Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Andrew Neil and GB News for comment.

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