Dan Walker: BBC should have defended Naga Munchetty in impartiality row

Dan Walker reckons BBC bosses could've done more to defend his co-host Naga Munchetty when complaints were levied against her on comments she'd made about remarks made by Donald Trump.

Munchetty was said to have breached the corporation's rules surrounding impartiality on BBC Breakfast after stating that the US President's comments implying four US Congresswoman should "go back home" were "embedded in racism".

However, it was a decision which was eventually overturned by Director General Tony Hall.

Read more: Bill Turnbull defends Naga Munchetty after complaint overturned

Walker told Radio Times: "At the time it felt a very natural conversation. We knew in that moment that it was different to the sort of things we usually talk about. But I don’t regret it, and I don’t think Naga does either.

“The BBC should have given a more robust defence of their presenters. We do think it could have been dealt with very differently. It was the right decision to overturn the original finding, but it didn’t need to get that far. Both of us felt we sailed near the line but we didn’t cross it. They came round to the right decision eventually. They’ve apologised to Naga.”

It was later revealed that Walker had been included in the original viewer complaint, however, no action was taken against him.

Walker also revealed to the publication that he wrote to the Director General Hall as he explained: "If Naga is guilty, then I’m guilty’. At the time I didn’t know I’d been mentioned in the original complaint.”

The presenter added that while the hosts do share bits of themselves in their broadcast, in that instance they may've "shared a bit too much".