Ofcom Probes GB News Over Repeat Trump Interview

On 11 May 2026 Ofcom announced a probe into GB News’ daytime broadcast of a full interview with U.S. President Donald Trump, assessing possible breaches of the Broadcasting Code on due impartiality and material misleadingness.

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In February 2026 Ofcom declined to investigate the same interview when it aired overnight on GB News’ Late Show Live, noting “alternative perspectives” in a panel. The repeat, aired twelve hours later in a daytime slot, prompted a new assessment. Ofcom has previously fined GB News £100,000 for a live interview with former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and placed the channel “on notice” after five code breaches involving politicians as presenters.

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• GB News – presenter Bev Turner.

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• Donald Trump – made unchallenged claims on climate change, London policing and sharia law.

The Guardian

• Ofcom – regulator.

The Guardian

• Richard Wilson – Reliable Media campaign director, complainant.

The Guardian

• Ian Cheshire – designated successor to Ofcom chair Michael Grade.

The Guardian

• Dawn Neesom – host of The Weekend, which aired the repeat.

The Independent

• 15 Nov 2025 00:00 GMT – Interview on Late Show Live (overnight).

The Guardian

• 15 Nov 2025 12:00 GMT – Full interview repeated on The Weekend, presented by Dawn Neesom.

The Independent

• Feb 2026 – Ofcom confirmed it would not investigate the overnight airing.

The Independent

• 11 May 2026 – Ofcom announced the daytime repeat investigation.

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The daytime broadcast reached a larger UK audience than the overnight slot. Social-media clips of Trump’s “climate change is a hoax” claim generated over 100,000 engagements, according to Richard Wilson.

The Guardian

Ofcom said it would examine whether the repeat breached impartiality and material misleadingness, noting different surrounding content. GB News called the probe a “U-turn,” expressed surprise at the delayed decision, and raised concerns about regulatory certainty, procedural fairness and consistency, while reaffirming confidence in its editorial standards.

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Richard Wilson criticised the six-month delay before Ofcom opened the probe, calling it “regulatory failure” and attributing the action to pressure from the public, MPs and civil-society groups. Critics argue the unchallenged claims could mislead viewers given the interview’s broader daytime exposure.

The Guardian

Ofcom has not detailed why the repeat, but not the original, warranted investigation beyond noting different surrounding content. The regulator also has not clarified how the pending chair transition may affect its decision-making, leaving procedural transparency uncertain.

The Guardian

• “Ofcom has quietly opened an investigation six months after the programme aired,” — Richard Wilson, director, Reliable Media campaign group

The Guardian

• “We are investigating whether it breached our rules on due impartiality and material misleadingness.” — Ofcom spokesperson

The Guardian

• “The GB News statement read: “GB News is surprised and concerned by Ofcom’s delayed decision to investigate in circumstances where it had already published an ‘assessed, not pursued’ finding in relation to the original broadcast of the interview and issued a public statement explaining why the original programme complied with the Broadcasting Code.” — GB News statement

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• “The sequence of events inevitably raises questions around the rationale for reopening the matter at this stage.” — GB News statement

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The probe may produce an Ofcom report and could result in sanctions, fines or directives to adjust editorial practice. GB News says it will defend its standards, while parliamentary committees may examine Ofcom’s procedural consistency as the case proceeds.

The Independent