Have I Got News For You host Victoria Coren Mitchell has issued an apology after the latest episode of the panel show was unexpectedly pulled from BBC iPlayer.
Television presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell has spoken out following the removal of the latest Have I Got News For You episode from BBC iPlayer after she made a blunder concerning Labour’s digital ID card proposals.
On Friday evening (October 3), the Only Connect host took charge of the satirical programme, with panellists Sheila Hancock, Miles Jupp, Ian Hislop, and Paul Merton.
During one section, Victoria questioned the teams about who would gain from Sir Keir Starmer’s choice to launch the ID system, before informing them: “I was thinking of the company Multiverse, who has been chosen to run the digital ID cards scheme.”
She went on to mention that the firm was established by Tony Blair’s son Euan, quipping: “That’s a happy coincidence, isn’t it?”.
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However, assertions that Multiverse will operate the government initiative have now been disproven by fact-checking organisation FullFact, which confirms: “This isn’t true, according to both the government and Multiverse, which is an ‘upskilling company’, not a software developer.”
The organisation continued: “The government has not announced any partner for the project. It’s understood the government expects digital ID to be designed, built and run by an in-house team, not outsourced to external suppliers, although there has been some media speculation about whether the scheme may create opportunities for other tech firms.”
Today (October 4), Victoria has tackled the mortifying mistake with a brief statement online. Posting on X – formerly known as Twitter – she wrote: “Meanwhile, if you see a clip of me saying the ID card contract has gone to Tony Blair’s son: it hasn’t.
“That was something I was given to ask about last night, but turns out to be incorrect. Which is bad news for the fact checkers but good news for social mobility.”
The details appear to stem from viral social media posts, but FullFact confirms there is “no evidence” of Blair’s son or the firm being linked to the scheme, despite Tony Blair’s public backing for the concept previously.
Viewers were left furious by the shocking mistake, with one posting on social media: “Not just a throwaway quip but part of the script. Someone is getting a massive telling-off for this. (I bet it will be chopped out of the iPlayer edit too).”
Another concurred: “Oh my god. Have I Got News For You just referred to this completely false claim as a fact!” whilst someone else raged: “Absolutely astonished, Have I Got News For You just stated that Multiverse will be running the government’s digital ID scheme. An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking.”
A BBC spokesperson subsequently told Express.co.uk: “This week’s Have I Got News For You contained an inaccurate story about Euan Blair’s company, Multiverse, being chosen to develop the government’s contract to produce digital ID cards.
“Multipverse is not a software developer, and there is no evidence of any involvement in the proposed digital ID scheme; therefore, we have taken the episode off BBC iPlayer while we edit the relevant section out. We apologise for this unintentional editorial oversight.”
In addition, a representative from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology clarified: “Claims that Multiverse has been chosen to develop the Government’s digital ID app are false. No decisions have been made on its delivery, but we expect it to be designed, built, and run by in-house Government teams – not outsourced to external suppliers.
“As we said last week, we will launch a public consultation to ensure we get the best possible input on the delivery and design of the scheme.”
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