Nadine Dorries’ Friday Night with Nadine chat show on TalkTV did not breach the Broadcasting Code over impartiality rules, Ofcom has ruled.Ofcom received 40 complaints about the former Culture Secretary’s debut programme on 3 February in which she interviewed former Prime Minister and fellow Conservative MP Boris Johnson.Ofcom concluded that, because it is a “non-news programme” and “adequately reflected alternative viewpoints and provided sufficient context”, it did not breach the Broadcasting Code.Instead, because it is a “current affairs programme dealing with matters of political controversy”, it had to abide by standards around due impartiality. Ofcom said Friday Night with Nadine had achieved this because the interview footage was broadcast in segments, with alternative viewpoints from commentators in between.The guests were: Sebastian Payne, former Whitehall editor of the Financial Times, and author of the book The Fall of Boris Johnson; Charlotte Ivers, political correspondent at Times Radio; and Scarlett MccGwire, a former Labour adviser.TalkTV, broadcast by News UK, puts out video simulcasts of programming from TALKRadio as well as other current affairs and discussion programmes.While the Broadcasting Code states that: “No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes”, Ofcom said: “there is no Ofcom rule that prevents a serving politician or political candidate from hosting or appearing on a TV or radio programme – provided they are not standing as a candidate in an election taking place, or about to take place…”
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