POOR old Andrew Neil.
The veteran broadcaster has had a tough time of it recently.
He ended his 25-year stint at the BBC in November last year to set up a new “anti-woke” channel, GB News.
But upon its launch in June, the channel was beset with technical problems and mocked for embarrassing gaffes.
In July, GB News again hit the headlines for wrong reasons after registering zero viewers for some of its shows.
Admitting it had got off to a “rocky” start, Neil decided to take a break from presenting after just two weeks.
That was in June, and he’s not been back since.
Instead, the broadcaster has been forced to hunker down in his French chateau for nearly two months.
Andrew Neil says he’s against plans to introduce quarantine hotels for returning British citizens... live from his villa in the South of France 😂 pic.twitter.com/SlxEjJnRyb
— CAL ROSCOW (@calroscow) January 26, 2021
READ MORE: Andrew Neil brands Neil Oliver the 'King of Scotland' in debut GB News appearance
It was perhaps unsurprising then that social media users reacted with little sympathy to Neil’s complaints about losing his BBC job during lockdown.
During a spat on Twitter, the broadcaster wrote: “I lost my BBC job during lockdown and wasn’t paid a penny. So don’t lecture me about job security.”
I lost my BBC job during lockdown and wasn’t paid a penny. So don’t lecture me about job security. https://t.co/zwoDDbnBSW
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) August 9, 2021
The most recent figures that are available show Neil – who is also the chairman of the Spectator – made more than £550,000 in 2016. Glenburn Enterprises, his company, had a revenue of £7.27 million ($9.45 million) in 2015.
He also claimed on Twitter in 2016 that the BBC accounted for just 25% of his professional portfolio.
Too true. But nobody ever seems to read my twitter profile. BBC = circa 25% of my work commitments/portfolio https://t.co/rSO49cswSl
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) August 9, 2016
Commenters were not impressed with Neil’s apparent plea for sympathy.
David Absalom replied: “You were 70 – well past retirement age and I doubt if you have to make do with the £140 a week state pension.”
Richard Coles added: “Patronising rich bloke says what?”
Others played him a tiny violin…
Puh-leeze. If my eyes roll any harder I’ll have a seizure… pic.twitter.com/aJwG44OQvH
— Marina Gray ("Grymma") 🏴🇪🇺 💜🤍💚 (@Grymma) August 9, 2021
Jo Pearce added: “Millionaire complains about job security… I’ve heard it all now…”
Peter Iwanoff wrote: “Could you still afford to feed yourself & your family. Could you stick a £10 on the electric card to cook the kids dinner that you’d just gotten from the foodbank ?
“You just don’t get it do you?”
Maybe best to keep your complaints to yourself in St Tropez, Andrew.
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