SKY news have taken Kay Burley off air for the next six months after the journalist admitted breaking Covid-19 safety rules.
The host of the channel’s daily breakfast show said she was celebrating her 60th birthday at a “Covid-compliant” restaurant on Saturday and afterwards “popped into another” venue to use the bathroom.
Beth Rigby, the station’s political editor, who was also at the party, has been suspended for three months.
In a statement, Sky News said: “A small number of Sky News staff attended a social event in London on Saturday evening during which COVID-19 guidelines were breached.
“As a result of an internal review Sky News presenter Kay Burley has agreed to be off air for six months, and political editor Beth Rigby and correspondent Inzamam Rashid have agreed to be off air for three months.
“All those involved regret the incident and have apologised.
“Everyone at Sky News is expected to comply with the rules and the company takes breaches like this very seriously indeed.”
In a statement posted on Twitter, Burley said: “I have today agreed with Sky News to step back from my broadcasting role for a period of reflection.
“It’s clear to me that we are all in the fight against Covid-19 and that we all have a duty to stick firmly by the rules.
“It doesn’t matter that I thought I was Covid-compliant on a recent social event. The fact is I was wrong, I made a big mistake, and I am sorry.
“Some dear friends and colleagues – some of the most talented and committed professionals in our business – have been pulled into this episode and I regret this enormously.
“I was one of the founding presenters on Sky News. No-one is prouder of our channel’s reputation, the professionals on our team, and the impact we make.
“I very much look forward to being able to continue my 32-year career with Sky when I return.”
Earlier this week, Sky News presenter Adam Boulton criticised his colleagues, saying their actions raised concerns over “the credibility of our journalism”.
He retweeted several posts about the story on Wednesday, including one that read: “Look at the state of Sky News. The morons spent all summer preaching to us and now look at them!”
Photographs of the group in Soho emerged on Wednesday. They started their evening on Saturday at the Century Club in Soho, London, sitting at tables of six and four before going on to a nearby restaurant, Folie. A group of four then returned to Burley’s home to continue the celebrations.
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