Strictly’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy in hot water with bosses after slating the BBC
STRICTLY Come Dancing signing Krishnan Guru-Murthy is already out of step with bosses after slating the BBC.
The Channel 4 newsreader, 53, who began his career at the Beeb, is returning as a celebrity contestant for this year’s series.
But he has hit out at his ex-employer in a podcast, saying: “I worked for them for ten years but I do relish it when they are in trouble.
“There may be a boss you knew 20 years ago that you might enjoy watching screw up. There are grudges in the media obviously.”
A source said: “A place on Strictly is one of TV’s golden tickets so it’s far from a good look that one of the cast has been criticising the BBC and even worse when the channel made their name.
“Everyone was excited to get Krishnan on board but this has cast a bit of a shadow. The bosses are not happy.”
The journalist began work on BBC youth current affairs programme Reportage in 1988 before presenting Newsround from 1991 to 1994.
He then moved to Newsnight before becoming a BBC News 24 host in 1997.
Channel 4 poached him in 1998 and he is their longest-serving newsman after retired colleague Jon Snow.
Speaking on The Political Party podcast in March, amid the row over Gary Lineker’s freedom of speech on Twitter, Guru-Murthy went on: “They did mess it up, obviously.”
He accused the Beeb of displaying “confusion and panic”.
Meanwhile, the dad of two has revealed he has put his health on the line to compete in Strictly.
He told Radio 2: “I am quite overweight, and I have a heart condition as well. So I have to be a little careful but it is going to be fun.”
The line-up will also include veteran presenter Angela Rippon, actress Amanda Abbington, actor Layton Williams, comic Eddie Kadi and TV host Angela Scanlon.