Michelle Dewberry brilliantly hits back in 'unbalanced' ITV row over GB News suspensions: 'Exception not the rule'

The debate arose following GB News' decision to suspend Dan Wootton and Laurence Fox following an on-air rant during Tuesday's Dan Wootton Tonight aimed at a female journalist.

Shephard started the debate by saying to Michelle: "That was a prime-time show on your channel. One of the highest-rated shows on your channel had that interview where the host did absolutely nothing to stop those comments..."

Michelle, putting Shephard right, replied: "We all agree that's wrong, you're preaching to the converted, I think it was appalling.

"As I watched it when it happened and I had my head in my hands. We are better than that.

"That is not who GB News is, they have taken that action. Good for them taking that action," Michelle continued.

"That demonstrates, the fact they have suspended those people like this," she continued as she clicked her fingers. "That demonstrates we don't tolerate that, that's not who this channel is."

Garraway decided to chime in to argue: "Okay, I guess what people might be getting at - we've had Tory MPs saying the whole channel should get shut down - you might be very against that...

"But GB News has sort of presented itself as the bastion of free speech and the people should be able to say it like it is.

"When you are in that situation unless everybody involved is very clear of the lines, things like that are going to happen."

But Michelle once more stood firm and pointed out: "I would say that is very much the exception, not the rule. We broadcast something like 18 hours a day of live television.

"We've broadcast 15,000 hours of live television, there or thereabouts since we launched. That is the exception and I maintain that - that is not the rule, that is not who GB News are."

The debate soon turned heated when Michelle exposed the hypocrisy of GMB's preaching of balanced debate to point out that politically she was the only Brexiteer.

Michelle's comments prompted a wry smirk from the likes of Dale, which led to the GB News star refusing to let it go unchallenged.

"You were just laughing at that, you think that's funny when I was describing that I was the only Brexiteer on the panel, there was chuckling going on," Michelle said.

Smith took particular exception to Michelle's point as she harped back: "Don't have a go at me!

As the conversation began to overlap, Smith eventually explained: "What I was going to say is there's plenty of people that share my view who equally believe that the BBC didn't provide proper balance about the arguments around Brexit...

"A lot are concerned that they haven't always provided proper balance around climate change, sometimes don't think this programme covers topics that we want to.

"I'm not arguing that GB News should go by the way," Smith added. "I've appeared on it, so what is your point?"

Michelle reiterated that the People's Channel was "born from a need that there was a huge amount of the general public that were not served in the broadcast media" and that the aforementioned incident is not the norm on the channel.

The Dewbs & Co host also used GB News' soaring viewing figures from this month to back up her point, including the fact that on Wednesday, her own show had two and a half times the number of viewers of Sky News in the same time slot.

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Following the fiery encounter, a number of ITV viewers praised Michelle for standing her ground and articulating her point perfectly in defence of the People's Channel.

One viewer, who was self-admittedly not a fan of the channel, responded on Twitter: "I’m no fan of GB News, but I find the uproar odd when various news outlets and presenters have made worse comments and yet very little was done. Jo Brand and Miriam Margolyes to name two. Unbalanced."

Elsewhere, Fat Families' host and regular GB News contributor Steve Miller lauded: "Well done Michelle for your common sense TRUTH. Thousands of working class people right across the U.K. watch and love GB News for its straight talking. Yes there are boundary’s, but all channels have crossed them at some point."

The plaudits kept on coming as a third weighed in: "Well done Michelle, the reaction you got to telling the truth was akin to Dracula being faced with a cross and a shaft of sunlight. Bravo!"

While a fourth added: "Well done Michelle. I like Jacqui but they just don't get it. The BBC has had Saville, Peel, Harris, Bashir among many others and I can't remember anything like the fuss about the BBC and whether it should be closed. All this publicity will only make GBNews stronger."

And a fifth echoed: "Yes well done Michelle. ITV is the most hypocritical channel, GMB prime example. Self centred egotism at highest. Pretend to care but actions and behaviours show its all about them. Eg talk about struggling with cost of living yet the show pushing people to bet on their lottery."

A final viewer remarked: "Michelle was actually very clear what her point was - the other woman just forgot what she was talking about as she went straight on the defensive and waffled @MichelleDewbs.

"I watched it - you did great but people are determined to stop alternative views."

The establishment media has turned on GB News since Fox was suspended on Tuesday night, demanding the channel - which has recently beaten both Sky News and BBC News in the ratings - be shut down.

Several media figures on BBC Newsnight on Wednesday demanded GB News be cancelled and this morning Amol Rajan angrily confronted GB News Chief Executive Angelos Frangopoulos on Radio 4's flagship Today show.

The host - who made a series of snide comments during the interview - claimed GB News was "not about news and is just about creating noise."

Mr Frangopoulos replied: "We are disruptive. That's why Britain is watching this channel."