Krishnan Guru-Murthy has no time for ’s new TV show.
Piers launched 24/7 channel TalkTV on April 25, inviting the likes of Sharon Osbourne and to front their own chat chows.
Since the channel hit screens, Piers on everything from to ‘snowflake society.’
However, the channel’s since its inception, with almost half switching off after just one night.
Now journalist Krishnan, 52, is sharing his views on Piers’ latest broadcasting venture, saying it isn’t something he’d be down for personally.
‘As a news presenter, I’d be very wary of going to another channel or platform where I can sound off,’ he told Radio Times, without naming Piers explicitly.
‘As a viewer, I don’t really care what a presenter’s opinions are,’ he continued.
‘The whole point of public service broadcasters is to put aside our bias and serve our audience with the fairest coverage possible.’
Elsewhere, the newsreader – who currently presents the Channel 4 News and is currently lead presenter on the programme – spoke about his career in journalism and his latest achievement of winning network presenter of the year at the RTS Television Journalism Awards.
‘I’ve no doubt my dad would be much happier if I’d become a doctor, but he did text me when I won the award, “Great news”. There you go. We all want to please our parents, ultimately.’
He added that times have been tough throughout the pandemic, but he feels ‘proud of what we’ve done as a team’ in reporting on events.
‘I never feel proud of what I’ve done personally, but I am proud of what we’ve done as a team. In a world where TV journalism is splintering off into open bias, taking sides, cheerleading for a certain movement or set of beliefs, I’m proud that we’ve held on to our core ethos around public service broadcasting.’
He continued to discuss recent stories his network has covered, which have reminded him ‘how strong’ the reporting is on the programme, which is ‘bigger than any one presenter,’ following the exit of Jon Snow.
‘Jon Snow left last year and he was a huge part of all of our lives; I’d sat next to him for 23 years. So it is odd without him. But in a way, it doesn’t feel like he’s gone as there’s such a strong ethos in the newsroom.
‘And now we’re back to what Channel 4 News is all about. The two stories that have been massive this year – the Government crisis over Partygate and the War in Ukraine – have both played to our strengths. It’s about explaining a complex world; uncovering the truth; holding power to account and unravelling complex stories.’
Naturally, Krishnan has a dream interview at the moment, and he really wants to grill Russian President Vladimir Putin.
When asked if he could have anyone appear on the show right now, he chose Putin as a ‘clever and complex strategist who understands power domestically and on the international stage.’
‘But that doesn’t mean he can’t miscalculate. I have a sense of what conflict with Russian forces really involves as I was on the ground in Syria. I know the ruthlessness of Russian military action,’ he said.
‘With any of these figures, there’s a mythology around them that builds up.’
Krishnan joined Channel 4 News in 1998 and is the second-longest-serving presenter.
He was also the main presenter of Channel 4 News at Noon between 2003 and 2009.
