Rupert Murdoch’s TalkTV is conducting an investigation into why there was no “plan B” to keep its Tory leadership debate on air after presenter Kate McCann fainted.
Colleagues from TalkTV and its sister radio station were said to be ready and able to step in and replace the stricken presenter during the abandoned live broadcast, I’m told.
As panic spread, executives asked Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to stay at their podiums at the studio in Ealing, west London, which is normally used for Piers Morgan’s late-night show , as they considered their options.
However, it was decided that stunned viewers will continue to be shown a recorded message saying that normal programming will resume, rather than restarting the debate with a new presenter.
The planned co-presenter Harry Cole had been forced to withdraw on the morning of the debate after contracting Covid-19.
An insider said: “Tom Newton Dunn (presenter of TalkTV’s 7pm news show) would have stepped up to co-present but bosses wanted Kate to face it solo as a showcase for her “.
McCann, TalkTV’s political editor, was said to be “nervous” about the high-profile event but had shown no signs of illness, even during the first half hour of the broadcast.
The source said: “It was very sudden. He crashed towards the podium. That was the loud bang that the spectators heard.”
Truss, speaking on camera at the time, said: “Oh my God” and rushed towards McCann. At that moment, with the clock indicating 18.31, the channel cut off the debate.
“Rishi also rushed over. He knelt on the floor and held Kate’s hand, it was very comforting,” the source said.
Faced with a crisis live on television and social media, some in the building believed the show must go on.
“There was already a lot of seasoned talent on the screen who thought they could have taken over. They could have blown it.”
“All the news from the UK [TalkTV’s owner] there were big fish. There was a panicked pow-wow. Some said, ‘Who can we get to fill in?’ but they decided not to.”
Instead, candidates were asked to stay in the studio and field informal questions from The Sun readers in the audience.
TalkTV political editor Kate McCann with Liz Truss and Rushi Sunak before the start of Debt on Tuesday (Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA)
The source added: “There is an inquiry today into why there was no Plan B to keep the debate on air. It is a given for any serious broadcast channel.”
Talk’s anchor program includes political broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer and Kevin O’Sullivan.
TalkTV said McCann will return to screens on Wednesday to host the 7pm show The News Desk, filling in as planned for regular host Newton Dunn.
She will lead a panel discussion on the candidates’ performance in the truncated debate and is expected to discuss her own dramatic role in the events.
“They think they can turn a disaster into a PR triumph,” the source said.
Writing on Twitter, McCann said: “Well that’s not how it should have ended last night! Thanks everyone for the lovely messages, I’m fine now, and apologies to @trussliz and @RishiSunak for interrupting the debate.
“Tonight I’ll be kicking off the debate with another vote from 7pm (…yes, sit down!)”
Truss and Sunak have wished McCann well and indicated they would return for another grid, although another head-to-head podium debate has yet to be agreed.
McCann received an outpouring of sympathy from his teammates. Newton Dunn tweeted: “I know from working with Kate McCann every night that she is one of the best in the business at holding politicians to account. She proved it in the first half hour of the debate, and will prove it again . She’s a fantastic talent and I’m so proud of her.”
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The incident gave a brief boost to TalkTV’s ratings. The channel has recorded zero viewers at low points in its schedule, and Piers Morgan’s flagship show has even been overtaken by rival GB News on occasion.
The on-screen message telling viewers that TalkTV was off air was seen by one of the channel’s highest ratings.
About 141,000 people tuned in, comparable numbers to Morgan’s opening week on Talk in April before his numbers dipped.
The debate peaked with 183,000 viewers tuning in shortly after the 6pm kick-off. However, Talk’s numbers dipped overnight, with Morgan’s show down to 14,000 viewers by the end.
Despite the debate’s appeal, Sky News, BBC News and GB News recorded a bigger audience than TalkTV throughout primetime, according to Barb data.
Insiders said this would dissuade NewsUK bosses who had hoped to relaunch TalkTV after the debate, which was shared with sister title The Sun.
Richard Wallace, a former Daily Mirror editor who worked with Simon Cowell on the US version of The X Factor, has taken control of Talk’s programming, with a mission to more closely integrate its news offering with The Sun’s editorial content, which is seen by millions of people. every day.
Morgan returns Wednesday evening with an exclusive from his recent trip to Ukraine: a joint interview with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska.
The podium “crack” even gave TalkTV what it has been looking for since it launched three months ago: highly shareable viral content that creates buzz on social media.
On this occasion, however, this content, exploited by media rivals including the BBC, was not wanted.
TalkTV declined to add to its statement issued on the night, which said: “Kate McCann passed out on air tonight and although she is fine, the medical advice was that we should not continue with the debate. We apologize to our viewers and listeners.”
The BBC meeting between Sunak and Truss was the most-watched leadership debate to date, winning 3.5 million viewers on Monday, ahead of the 2.7 million who watched ITV’s next British Prime Minister on Sunday.