Hunniford humiliated by apology over Ched
GLORIA Hunniford has been left humiliated after ITV apologised for her remarks on Loose Women about Ched Evans, the footballer cleared of rape.
The veteran presenter was said to be furious that broadcasting chiefs agreed to a legal statement being read out on the show.
There were reports she had threatened to quit the daytime programme, but ITV denied this last night.
On Monday’s episode, Miss Hunniford, 76, said of Mr Evans: ‘I wouldn’t send my grandchildren to him for sex education.’
She also expressed doubts over the jury’s decision to return a not guilty verdict at Cardiff Crown Court last week. Three days later, broadcasting bosses appeared to have bowed to legal threats from the Evans camp.
Her fellow presenter Ruth Langsford yesterday read out a statement apologising to the Evans family after they complained and threatened legal action against ITV and the show.
She told viewers: ‘On Monday we broadcast an item relating to the recent case involving Ched Evans.
‘We received a complaint on behalf of Mr Evans regarding a comment made during the course of that item concerning the capacity of the individual to consent.
‘We are happy to reiterate that Mr Evans was acquitted after a jury unanimously found him not guilty, having carefully considered the issue of consent.’
Miss Hunniford – a familiar face on British TV screens since the 1970s – is said to have made her feelings clear about the move ‘in no uncertain terms’, a source said. A statement on Mr Evans’s campaign website read: ‘Yesterday marked a watershed in the media coverage following Ched’s acquittal of rape at Cardiff Crown Court after serving 30 months for a crime he always denied and has now been exonerated of.
‘Ched has always acknowledged his behaviour was morally unacceptable but consensual. Gloria Hunniford on Loose Women misrepresented the evidence presented at Cardiff Crown Court in this respect and his family are now actively considering their legal options.
‘Opinion is acceptable but misinformation broadcast on prime-time television is not.’
Fellow panellist Nadia Sawalha also criticised Mr Evans but was not singled out by his camp.
Asked if Miss Hunniford had threatened to resign, a Loose Women spokesman said there was ‘absolutely no truth in this whatsoever’ and that ‘Gloria is back on the panel with us next week’.
Miss Hunniford was yet to respond to requests for comment last night.
‘Jury found him not guilty’