Red faces all round as the record million GB News viewers turns out to be 33,000

At the start of the year, approximately three decades ago, GB News presenter Cressida Wetton had some exciting news for the viewers.

Apparently, the serial breacher of Ofcom rules had been broadcasting a live link to the New Year fireworks displays, including London’s, which celebrated diversity and equality, causing one presenter – Patrick Christys – to accuse Sadiq Khan of ‘woke bingo’.

If I’d been Sadiq Khan I’d have written ULEZ in the sky with drones for the new year fireworks

— Helena Horton (@horton_official) January 1, 2024

However, Ms Wetton’s gleeful announcement was a little premature – through no fault of GB News, for a change – because the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (Barb) had accidentally and stratospherically inflated the figures.

GB News claimed that they broke records and topped 1 million viewers for their NYE Fireworks coverage. BARB has now confirmed that this was inaccurate, and the actual figure was 33k viewers

— sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴛᴠ (@superTV247) January 16, 2024

Scott Bryan explained how it happened.

Appears the error was caused by both BBC One and GB News using the same feed of the fireworks, which resulted in some BARB viewing figures being attributed to the wrong channel.

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) January 16, 2024

There was exactly the amount of sympathy you’d expect.

1.

Just a rounding error, no doubt! pic.twitter.com/WS85KbsSTa

— Miffy (@miffythegamer) January 16, 2024

2.

Oof! That’s quite the miscalculation https://t.co/In4hpt0ZsC

— Greg Jenner (@greg_jenner) January 16, 2024

3.

GB News did not receive a million viewers for coverage of NYE Fireworks. It actually had 33,000.

Approx 3.3% of the initial total. https://t.co/k1p2Hp2xCQ

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) January 16, 2024

4.

#ToryTV acting just like Tories. pic.twitter.com/lRVhRoylVy

— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) January 16, 2024

5.

GB News New Years Eve Fireworks coverage, where they claimed to have peaked at over 1 million viewers, in actual fact averaged just 33k and peaked at 74k – just 7.4% of the original number claimed

Thoughts and prayers to all at GBN at this difficult time pic.twitter.com/rmvWHVbPQP

— GB News Spin Room (@GBNewsSpin) January 16, 2024

6.

https://t.co/iLJGtK6dpx pic.twitter.com/tOxELd93YE

— Gee Aitch Cee (@Scriblit) January 16, 2024

7.

https://t.co/jdeLOAnIkJ pic.twitter.com/sPbqg0TUsv

— Graham (@GrahamOfTheDead) January 16, 2024

8.

Can you imagine a life more bleak than being one of the 33,000 people who saw the new year in with GB News on? https://t.co/sC7O5cgL8a

— Jonny Chambers (@imjonnychambers) January 16, 2024

9.

CBeebies still having higher viewing figures. They also cater to an audience that has a higher IQ than the audience of GB news combined. https://t.co/1d9IY6iDUn pic.twitter.com/gANuvkn0TW

— Saffron✨ (@s_ffron7) January 16, 2024

10.

Still, close. https://t.co/zcVc3zsMXk

— RichNeville (@RichNeville) January 16, 2024

11.

We all knew it was false. No way would a channel go from 16K to a million inside an hour. What a tinpot outfit they are. https://t.co/DLUlY9IBp2

— neil evans (@swinfan69) January 16, 2024

12.

very very funny https://t.co/qoyPOPq0hv

— Toby Earle Threads tobyontv (@TobyonTV) January 16, 2024

Finally, Paul McHugh had a question.

Were they counting in dog years? https://t.co/F0dtl8El8l

— Paul McHugh (@baldypaul) January 16, 2024

READ MORE

GB News viewing figures hit zero – as did the messages of sympathy

Source SUPER TV Image Cressida Wetton, Cookie_studio on Freepik