Moment ITV newsreader Mary Nightingale is close to tears as she announces that her 'good friend and mentor' Alastair Stewart will step down over claim he called a black man an 'angry ape' on Twitter
- Ms Nightingale's voice broke as she told viewers that Mr Stewart had left ITN
- Forced out after black Twitter user complained he called him an ‘angry ape’
- She tweeted: 'He was a good friend and mentor for more than 27 years. I will miss him'
- Stewart has apologised for a 'misjudgment that I regret' in a statement last night
- But friends and colleagues have rushed to his defence and insist he is not racist
ITN newsreader Mary Nightingale was tearful last night after she announced her 'friend and mentor' Alastair Stewart had been forced out by their bosses after a black Twitter user complained the star called him an ‘angry ape’.
Ms Nightingale's voice broke as she told viewers on ITV 1's Teatime show that Mr Stewart, Britain's longest-serving news broadcaster, would not be seen again after 44 years on the station.
Just over an hour earlier, the 67-year-old newsreader said he was quitting after ‘a misjudgement which I regret’ on social media and told friends he was ‘very sad it was ending this way’.
And his colleague of 27-years Mary struggled not to cry as she was forced to tell viewers how Mr Stewart was stepping down following ‘errors of judgement in Alastair’s use of social media which breached ITN’s editorial guidelines’.
Viewers pointing out that her eyes appeared to be red and from tears and claimed he had been 'badly treated' and was 'denied a proper on-screen goodbye' after decades on television.
Shortly before going on air Mary tweeted: 'Very sad about the departure of #AlastairStewart. He was a good friend and mentor to me when I started at Carlton TV, and we worked together for more than 27 years. I will miss him'.
Stewart, who is married with four children, was the nation’s longest-serving male newsreader. He started on Southern Television in 1976 and joined ITN in 1980. An OBE came in 2006 for services to broadcasting.
ITN newsreader Mary Nightingale was close to tears last night after she announced her 'friend and mentor' Alastair Stewart had been forced out by their bosses over a Twitter spat
Mary had to go on live TV to tell viewers Mr Stewart, the longest-serving UK male newsreader, wouldn't be seen again
Martin Shapland (pictured) was in a debate with Mr Stewart on Twitter when the veteran newsreader quoted a passage from Shakespeare that included the words 'angry ape'. Mr Shapland described this as a 'disgrace'
Stewart's decision to step down comes after a black Twitter user claimed he 'called him an angry ape' three weeks ago. Martin Shapland later branded Stewart a 'disgrace'
Along with Mary Nightingale, his colleagues leapt to his defence, saying the broadcasting ‘legend’ had been ‘shunted out’. One insisted last night: ‘Alastair is not a racist.’
News anchor Julie Etchingham tweeted: ‘So sad to learn this – we have worked on many big stories together & Al is a trusted friend and guide to many of us.’
Former ITV News boss Richard Frediani called him ‘a loyal friend, colleague, mentor, guide and much more to many, many journalists’, adding: ‘Simply the best on and off screen. A broadcasting legend.’
ITN has refused to give more details on his departure but several sources said it related to a Twitter spat on January 13.
Stewart and Martin Shapland, who is black, were debating the Royal Family’s finances online when the news anchor cited a passage from Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure that included the phrase ‘angry ape’.
Stewart wrote: ‘But man, proud man, Dress’d in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he’s most assur’d – His glassy essence – like an angry ape.’
Describing Stewart as a disgrace, Mr Shapland shared the tweet and said: ‘Just an ITV newsreader referring to me as an ape.’
In a statement, the presenter said: ‘It was a misjudgement which I regret, but it’s been a privilege to bring the news to households throughout the UK for the past 40 years.’
In 2018 Stewart used the same quote in an exchange with another Twitter user who was not identifiably black.
Mr Stewart, pictured with broadcasters including Emily Maitlis, Katie Derham, Mary Nightingale, and Natasha Kaplinsky has received a great deal of support from his colleagues, many of whom believe he is badly treated
His Twitter account appeared blank today as it was announced that Stewart was stepping down
Supporters said he appeared to have a habit of using the phrase to make a point about those he felt were claiming to be experts in a certain field. An ITN insider said: ‘He would have thought he was being clever and it was merely an innocent put-down. He is certainly not a racist in any way.
‘Alastair is a hugely popular figure, well liked, kind and something of an institution.
‘It is sad if he has had to go because of this. He accepts the error of judgement, but many believe that, if this was the reason he is going, it was wrong, and he will be the first man ever fired for accurately quoting Shakespeare.’
A source at ITN, which produces news programmes for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, said the newsroom was in shock, but that there was a ‘mixed view’, with some younger staff agreeing with the decision to remove him.
More senior staff shared their theory that it was an excuse to get rid of the veteran, who was on a six-figure salary. One insider said: ‘Officially he quit, but it was a fait accompli – a case of “resign, and do the honourable thing”.’
Mr Shapland, whose Twitter account includes the description ‘tweet in haste, repent at leisure’, could not be reached for comment. In later tweets in his spat with Stewart he described the presenter’s behaviour as ‘ignorant bullying’ and suggested he should take lessons in etiquette.
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Shapland obtained a degree in modern history and political sciences from Birmingham University and has been a policy manager at the Institution of Civil Engineers for the past two years.
He was previously a House of Commons researcher.
Asked about the Twitter row between Stewart and its employee, a spokesman for the ICE said: ‘It is a private matter.’
Michael Jermey, director of news and current affairs at ITV, said: ‘Alastair has been a long-standing, familiar figure to viewers of ITV News, both reporting and presenting with distinction. We wish him the very best for the future.’
ITN chief executive Anna Mallett added: ‘We would like to recognise Alastair’s contribution as one of the UK’s foremost journalists and TV presenters and to thank him for his commitment to delivering high-quality broadcast news over many years.’
Last night the door to Stewart’s home in Hampshire was answered by a young man who said: ‘Yeah he is not going to be saying anything tonight.’
In his long career, Stewart has fronted everything from election coverage to Police, Camera, Action! – a job he lost after crashing his Mercedes into a hedge while three times the drink-drive limit.
Support for Stewart also came from broadcaster Danny Baker, who was sacked last year from BBC Radio 5 Live for likening Prince Harry’s son Archie to a chimp.
Baker retweeted a comment by comedian Rory Bremner who praised Stewart as ‘a good friend’ and called him ‘generous, supportive and quick to correct unfairness or nonsense, authoritative, kind and one of life’s enthusiasts’.
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Mary Nightingale as she announces that her 'good friend and mentor' Alastair Stewart will step down - Daily Mail
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