Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce has said she will step back from her role as an ambassador for the charity Refuge after claims she trivialised domestic violence during a discussion on the show last week.
In a statement, she said she had been subjected to a “social media storm” which “mischaracterised” her words following a debate on the programme during which claims of domestic violence were discussed.
She said she was “required to legally contextualise” a statement about Boris Johnson’s father Stanley and that her comments were not reflective of her own opinions.
Last week on Question Time, journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown said 82-year-old Johnson’s alleged history of violence was “on record” and he was a “wife beater”.
Bruce interrupted, telling the panel member and the audience: “I’m not disputing what you’re saying, but just so everyone knows what this is referring to, Stanley Johnson’s wife spoke to a journalist, Tom Bower, and she said that Stanley Johnson had broken her nose and that she’d ended up in hospital as a result.
“Stanley Johnson has not commented publicly on that. Friends of his have said it did happen but it was a one-off.”
Ms Bruce, 58, said: “I know survivors of domestic abuse have been distressed by what I was required to say on-air. For that, I am deeply sorry.
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“I cannot change what I was required to say, but I can apologise for the very real impact that I can see it has had.
“I have been a passionate advocate and campaigner for all survivors of domestic abuse, and have used my privileged position as a woman in the public eye to bring this issue to the fore, notably in my work for over 25 years with Refuge,” she said.
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She added: “But following the events of last week, I have faced a social media storm, much of which mischaracterised what I said and took the form of personal abuse directed at me.
“The only people that matter in all this are the survivors, they are my priority. The last thing in the world that I would want is that this issue in any way creates a distraction from Refuge’s critical work on their behalf, and therefore I think the right thing to do is to step back from my role with Refuge.”
The Antiques Roadshow presenter continued: “This has been a hard decision for me as I feel so strongly about promoting their work and advancing awareness of this issue. I will continue to be an active supporter, albeit from the sidelines for now.”
‘Domestic abuse is never a one-off’
Refuge thanked Bruce for her “considerable contribution” to their work over the years but acknowledged that while the words the BBC presenter had used around claims about Stanley Johnson were not her own they had “minimised the seriousness of domestic abuse”.
In a statement, the charity said: “Refuge’s position was, and remains, clear – domestic abuse is never a ‘one-off’, it is a pattern of behaviour that can manifest in a number of ways, including but not limited to physical abuse. Domestic abuse is never acceptable.
“Over the weekend we have been listening to, and heard, survivors of domestic abuse who have told us how devastating this has been for them.
“While we know the words were not Fiona’s own and were words she was legally obliged to read out, this does not lessen their impact and we cannot lose sight of that.
“These words minimised the seriousness of domestic abuse and this has been re-traumatising for survivors.
“Survivors of domestic abuse are, and will always be, Refuge’s priority,” the statement continued.
“Our focus must remain on them. Every two minutes someone turns to Refuge for help and our priority is the women and their children who need us
“We have today accepted Fiona’s offer to stand down from her role as ambassador for Refuge. We have thanked her for her considerable contribution over many years to Refuge and the wider domestic abuse agenda.”
Bruce ‘was not expressing any personal opinion’
In a statement on Friday, the BBC said: “Domestic abuse is abhorrent, and we would never wish to suggest otherwise.
“When serious allegations are made on air against people or organisations, it is the job of BBC presenters to ensure that the context of those allegations – and any right of reply from the person or organisation – is given to the audience, and this is what Fiona Bruce was doing.
“She was not expressing any personal opinion about the situation.”
It comes on a chaotic day for the BBC after the corporation reinstated Gary Lineker as host of Match of the Day after pulling him from air over tweets the ex-footballer sent that criticised the government’s migration policy.
