Nigel Farage was quick to hit back at ITV presenters Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway on Thursday morning when he was grilled about the future of GB News.
The debate arose after the People's Channel ended its employment relationship with Laurence Fox and Calvin Robinson as a result of an internal investigation following comments made by Fox about a female journalist on Dan Wootton Tonight.
Presenter Wootton remains suspended as an internal investigation continues following the on-air incident.
Bringing up Fox's departure from the channel during a discussion on Thursday's Good Morning Britain, Shephard was keen to hear from Farage his thoughts on the matter.
Shephard asked: "I wonder what your thoughts are with that and also GB News as a whole and where they are in regards to how they're seen and the agenda that people feel GB News is promoting..."
Farage promptly responded: "Well, GB News wanted to be a free speech station, and quite right too.
"There are some issues that weren't being properly debated across UK media, such as what we're doing in the name of climate change. That's one very good example of where GB News provides a different debate.
"However, there's a big difference between free speech and being bloomin' rude," Farage highlighted.
Nigel Farage faced a grilling about GB News on GMB
ITV
He continued: "And what Laurence Fox said about the journalist Ava Evans was unnecessary, out of place, rude and it wasn't the first time that he'd done it.
"Do you know something? For any channel to work, for this show to work, for GB News to work, it has to be a team game. You need team players.
"So the fact that they've sacked him from GB News, I think it's the right thing," he continued before he lauded the People's Channel by adding: "Overall, GB News has come into this space and it is a very, very good debate platform and I'm proud to be a part of it."
Garraway interjected to question one of Farage's points as she remarked: "You said there's a difference between freedom of speech and being rude, but actually the definition of the word rude is something that causes offence.
"GB News has sort of prided itself on freedom of speech, things that in other areas would cause offence to certain communities (and) to certain people has been broadcast on there.
WATCH NOW: The rest of Farage's GMB interview
"You're right that it's presenting a debate but when you're setting yourself up as deciding who you can offend, it's a tricky challenge, isn't it?"
Farage brilliantly dismissed Garraway's suggestion as he answered: "Some people take offence that issues are even being debated. Well, to hell with them!
"We don't care about them, they can be as offended as they like. But how we discuss difficult issues, the language we use, the responsibility that we show, that's the point that we're trying to achieve.
"Just standing there being abusive is not what the channel is about," he insisted.
Garraway responded by suggesting there is a "fine line" to "control" and "marshal" going forward, to which Farage again shut down: "As there is in all things in life!"
"In humour and how we talk to each other, there's always a fine line between what's acceptable and what's not.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Kate Garraway quizzed Nigel Farage on Good Morning Britain
ITV
"Fox went way over the edge on that, not just this time, but many other times and he had to go."
On Wednesday, October 4, GB News released a statement which read: "Laurence Fox and Calvin Robinson were both suspended last week pending internal investigations that have now concluded.
"As of today, GB News has ended its employment relationship with Laurence Fox and Calvin Robinson. The internal investigation into Dan Wootton continues."
Farage's valiant defence of the People's Channel comes just days after fellow host Michelle Dewberry faced a similar grilling on the same programme.
Again fronted by Garraway and Shephard, Dewberry stood firm in her defence of the channel, pointing out the rant which led to the suspensions of three GB News presenters is "not who GB News is".
She added during the debate which aired on GMB on Friday, September 29: "They [GB News] have taken that action. Good for them taking that action.
"That demonstrates, the fact they have suspended those people like this, that demonstrates we don't tolerate that, that's not who this channel is."
