Channel 4 apologises after Jon Snow’s Brexit protest comments

Channel 4 News has said it “regrets” offence caused by Jon Snow’s comment that he had “never seen so many white people in one place” during a live broadcast on the Brexit protest.

The leading presenter made the “unscripted observation” when he was signing off from the Friday evening bulletin on the day the UK was supposed to be leaving the European Union.

Speaking at the end of the programme outside Westminster, where thousands of anti-Brexit campaigners had congregated, Mr Snow said: “It’s been the most extraordinary day. A day which has seen … I have never seen so many white people in one place, it’s an extraordinary story.

“There are people everywhere, there are crowds everywhere.”

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The remarks drew criticism online from some viewers who described the broadcaster’s comments about “white people” as unnecessary.

Some tweeted that Mr Snow enjoyed the Glastonbury Festival in 2017, which is principally full of white people.

In a statement, Channel 4 said: “This was an unscripted observation at the very end of a long week of fast-moving Brexit developments.

“Jon has covered major events such as this over a long career and this was a spontaneous comment reflecting his observation that in a London demonstration of that size, ethnic minorities seemed to be significantly under-represented. We regret any offence caused by his comment.”

Regulator Ofcom said they would have to wait until Monday to say how many complaints – if any – had been registered regarding the incident.

A spokesman said: “We will assess any complaints we do receive before deciding whether or not to investigate.”