Broadcaster Carol Vorderman has opened up about being axed from the BBC after breaking social media guidelines.
The 63-year-old was removed from her popular radio show "within 24 hours" after she breached the broadcaster's strict social media rules.
The former Countdown star now hosts an LBC radio show and has opened up about what really happened with her former gig.
It came as the BBC introduced strict rules last September to stop big names at the broadcaster expressing political views on social media.
Vorderman hosted a BBC Radio Wales show but was told to leave within hours after "tweeting some stuff".
The maths expert had started blasting the government on her online accounts, at one point labelling them "a lying bunch of greedy, corrupt, destructive, hateful, divisive, gaslighting crooks".
Carol Vorderman has opened up about her BBC axe
Getty/LBC
Opening up about the incident that happened last year, Vorderman recalled: "They [BBC] said, ‘social media guidelines are such and such, you can’t say this, you’re not allowed to say that. You can’t do this, you can’t do that.'"
Speaking to Radio Times, she continued: "So I tweeted some stuff knowing that I’d be in trouble for it.
"And sure enough, absolutely no conversation to be had, sacked within 24 hours.
"The BBC are the only organisation who impose what you can do when you’re not broadcasting. Your private, non-broadcast opinion is meant to be... very quiet, let’s say."
The presenter admitted that although she is "loving the freedom" since her move to LBC, she still has certain Ofcom rules to follow while on air.
Reflecting on her BBC career, she emphasised how she "never ever spoke about politics" during her "light entertainment show" but didn’t appreciate being silenced while she was off-air.
"The people at the top of the BBC – Conservatives – are trying to restrict what people do in their private lives," she claimed.
"It’s an absolute nonsense... this kind of ownership of what you’re allowed to be outside of that is absolutely about restricting the freedom of people.
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Vorderman now feels she has more 'freedom' on social media
LBC
"There’s a lot that doesn’t make the papers. It’s not just me, and it’s ironic isn’t it, that I’m the only one that’s been sacked."
Some of the restrictions brought in by the broadcaster came in light of the Gary Lineker controversy in which the football pundit was forced to step away from his presenting roles after blasting the government's immigration policies in 2023.
After other hosts took part in a mass walk-out in support of Lineker, he was brought back as a presenter days later.
A BBC spokesperson told GB News: "The BBC published its new Social Media Guidance last September which strike a balance between the BBC’s commitment to impartiality and freedom of expression.
"The guidance sets out clear expectations for freelancers, which includes a particular responsibility to uphold civility in public discourse."