‘I fear it’ll be a while but I’ll be back!’ Alastair Stewart reveals he has broken his hip and can’t host his GB News show this weekend as he thanks his family for their support
Alastair Stewart has revealed he has broken his hip and won’t be able to host his GB News show this weekend – although he didn’t say how he got the injury.
The former ITV News journalist, 69, shared the news with his followers on Twitter on Friday morning, saying: ‘I fear it’ll be a while but I’ll be back!’
The injury will be a big blow to Alastair who is a key part of the GB News team which only launched last month.
Pain: Alastair Stewart has revealed he has broken his hip and won’t be able to host his GB News show this weekend
Posting on Twitter he wrote: ‘#BreakingNews: I won’t be hosting #AlastairStewartAndFriends on this weekend due to……. a broken hip!
‘I fear it’ll be a while but I’ll be back!!! Thanks for kindness & support to all at @GBNEWS, the brilliant Anita @AnitaLandLtd & my extraordinary family…’
A representative has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment.
Breaking news: The former ITV News journalist, 69, shared the news with his followers on Twitter on Friday morning, saying: ‘I fear it’ll be a while but I’ll be back!’
Important job: The injury will be a big blow to Alastair who is a key part of the GB News team which only launched last month (pictured on ITV news)
The TV star was met with hundreds of replies from his followers who wished him a speedy recovery.
One wrote: ‘So sorry to hear that Alastair, get well soon!’ while another said: ‘Oh no Al, that is awful for you. I hope your recovery is speedy and as painless as possible xxxx’
Alastair will no doubt be being supported by his wife Sally who he has been married to since 1978.
Kind: The TV star was met with hundreds of replies from his followers who wished him a speedy recovery
Family: Alastair will no doubt be being supported by his wife Sally who he has been married to since 1978 (pictured together)
Last month Alastair blasted the ‘political correctness brigade’ and vowed to ignore ‘no-go areas’ in his new presenting job after 40 years at ITV.
In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday to mark his new role on ‘anti-woke’ channel GB News, he promised to deliver free speech and honest debate to its target audience of ‘ordinary people’.
Founded by former BBC presenter Andrew Neil, GB News aims to be the antidote to the ‘woke’ agendas driving other broadcasters – and Alastair is definitely on board.
‘Political correctness is not something to be adhered to,’ he said. ‘It is to be respected and broken through. I have a real thing about political correctness.
Boss: Veteran political interviewer Andrew Neil leads the evening line-up on GB News and is also chairman
‘It makes political discourse like walking on eggshells. You’re having a really good conversation with people, but it’s a public conversation, and people pick and choose their words so it’s not sexist, it’s not misogynist or this, that or the other.’
The legendary broadcaster added: ‘So long as you respect everybody, you can talk openly and freely. That’s what we will be doing at GB News. What the BBC and ITN choose to do is a matter for them. They will do what they wish to do, but there will be no no-go areas for us.’
Alastair said he was ‘thrilled’ to be fronting ‘Alastair And Friends’ on the start-up channel.
His new job comes 16 months after his shock departure from ITV News after a distinguished career. He left after a social media spat in which he sent a Shakespeare quote including the phrase ‘angry ape’ to a black Twitter user.
Despite the television industry’s relentless drive for diversity, he insisted that he never felt threatened by those seeking to remove anyone ‘white, male, pale and stale’ from high-profile jobs.
He said: ‘As a white man, I have never felt at risk, never at all. But I think women felt more vulnerable about being eased out when they reached a certain age because audience research suggested they were more comfortable with an older man than an older woman.
‘I think that’s absolutely bloody outrageous. I am an absolute and total meritocrat.’
Despite social media jibes to the contrary, Alastair said GB News was ‘heaving with diversity’. He said that out of the 19 presenters, nine were women, three of whom were black. ‘And there was no box ticking,’ he added.
Alastair said he was ’emotional’ at the prospect of starting his new job but always knew he would work again after his departure from ITV.
Journalist: Alastair recently said he was ’emotional’ at the prospect of starting his new job but always knew he would work again after his departure from ITV
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