Rupert Murdoch’s TalkTV is investigating why there was no “plan B” to keep the Tory leadership debate on air after presenter Kate McCann fainted.
I was told that colleagues from TalkTV and its sister radio station were ready and able to step in and replace the injured presenter during the abandoned live show.
As panic spread, executives asked Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to remain at their podiums at the studio in Ealing, West London – normally used for Piers Morgan’s evening program – while they considered their options.
However, it was decided that stunned viewers would continue to be shown a recorded message saying that normal programming would resume, rather than resuming the debate with a new host.
Scheduled co-host Harry Cole was forced to pull out on the morning of the debate after contracting Covid-19.
An insider said: “Tom Newton Dunn (host of TalkTV’s 7pm news show) was going to be in to co-star but bosses wanted Kate to take it on herself as a showcase for her.”
McCann, TalkTV’s political editor, is said to have been “nervous” presenting at the high-profile event but showed no signs of ill health, even during the first half hour of the show.
The source said: “It was very sudden. She slumped forward onto the podium. That was the loud bang that onlookers heard.
Trot, speaking to the camera in the moment, said: “Oh my God” and rushed towards McCann. At that moment, when the clock showed 18:31, the channel interrupted the debate.
“Rishi also rushed. He knelt on the floor and held Kate’s hand, he was very comforting,’ the insider said.
Faced with a crisis playing out live on television and social media, some in the building believed the show must go on.
“There was already a lot of experienced screen talent that they felt they could take over. They could wing it.
“All the news in the UK [TalkTV’s owner] the greats were there. There was a panicked pow-wow. Some said, “Who can we get to replace?” but they decided not to.
Instead, candidates were asked to stay in the studio and informally answer questions from The Sun readers in the audience.
TalkTV political editor Kate McCann with Liz Truss and Rushi Sunak before the start of duty on Tuesday (Photo: Dominic Lipinski/Pennsylvania)
The insider added: “There is an investigation today into why there was no Plan B to keep the debate on air. This is a given for any serious broadcasting channel.
The Talk presenter line-up includes political broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer and Kevin O’Sullivan.
TalkTV said McCann will return to screens on Wednesday to present The News Desk at 7pm, replacing regular host Newton Dunn as planned.
She will lead a panel discussion on the candidates’ performances in the abbreviated debate and is expected to talk about her own dramatic role in the events.
“They think they can turn a disaster into a PR triumph,” the insider 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 cutting the debate short.
“Tonight I will cancel the debate with a new vote from 7pm (…yes I sat down!)”
Truss and Sunak have wished McCann well and indicated they will return for a further roast, although another head-to-head podium debate is yet to be arranged.
McCann received an outpouring of sympathy from colleagues. Newton Dunn tweeted: “From working with Kate McCann every night I know she is one of the best in the business at holding politicians accountable. She proved it in the first half hour of the debate and she will prove it again. She is a fantastic talent and I am extremely proud of her.”
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The incident gave a brief boost to TalkTV’s struggling ratings. The channel has not recorded zero viewers at the lowest points in its schedule, and Piers Morgan’s flagship show has even been beaten by rival GB News at times.
The on-screen message informing viewers that TalkTV had stopped was watched by one of the channel’s highest audiences.
About 141,000 people tuned in, numbers comparable to Morgan’s first week on Talk in April, before his numbers dropped.
The debate peaked with 183,000 viewers tuning in shortly after it began at 6pm. However, Talk’s numbers fell overnight, with Morgan’s program falling to 14,000 viewers at its close.
Despite the lure of the debate, Sky News, BBC News and GB News recorded larger audiences than TalkTV across primetime, according to Barb’s figures.
Insiders said it would disappoint NewsUK bosses, who had hoped to relaunch TalkTV outside 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, took control of Talk’s programming with a mission to integrate the news offering more closely with The Sun’s editorial content seen by millions every day.
Morgan returns Wednesday night with an exclusive from his recent trip to Ukraine — a joint interview with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska.
The podium “crash” has even given TalkTV what it has been looking for since its launch three months ago – viral, shareable content that creates buzz on social media.
In this case, however, this content, picked up by media rivals including the BBC, was unintentional.
TalkTV declined to add to its statement released overnight, which read: “Kate McCann collapsed on air tonight and although she is fine, medical advice was not to continue with the debate. We apologize to our viewers and listeners.”
The BBC meeting between Mr Sunak and Ms Truss was the most-watched leadership debate ever, winning 3.5 million viewers on Monday, ahead of the 2.7 million who watched Britain’s next prime minister on ITV on Sunday.
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