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Kay Burley arrives at the Women in Film & TV Awards at the London. Yui Mok via PA Images

Kay Burley to go off air for six months in wake of controversial birthday gathering

Political editor Beth Rigby and correspondent Inzamam Rashid have agreed to be off air for three months

SKY NEWS PRESENTER Kay Burley has agreed to stay off air for six months “for a period of reflection” after she and other Sky News reporters gathered at a London restaurant at the weekend for Burley’s 60th birthday.

As a result of an internal review, Sky News has said Burley agreed to be off air for six months, and political editor Beth Rigby and correspondent Inzamam Rashid, who were also at the gathering, have agreed to be off air for three months.

Burley said in a statement shared on Twitter that “we are all in the fight against Covid-19 and that we all have a duty to stick firmly by the rules”.

It doesn’t matter that I thought I was Covid-compliant on a recent social event. The fact is I was wrong, I made a big mistake, and I am sorry. Some dear friends and colleagues… have been pulled into this episode and I regret this enormously.

She added that she looks forward to continuing her career with Sky when she returns.

London is in Tier 2 of England’s Covid-19 three-tier system, meaning it’s not advised to socialise with people who are not in your household or support bubble, at home or in a public place. Gatherings of up to six people are permitted outdoors only, in what’s called “the rule of six”.

It was reported that Burley attended one restaurant with a group of people in London, and afterwards, the presenter allegedly went to a second restaurant. Responding to this on Monday, Burley said on Twitter:

“I want to apologise to you all for an error of judgment. On Saturday night I was enjoying my 60th birthday at a Covid compliant restaurant. I am embarrassed to say that later in the evening I inadvertently broke the rules.

I had been waiting for a taxi at 11pm to get home. Desperate for the loo I briefly popped into another restaurant to spend a penny. I can only apologise.

Sky News reported that all staff involved “regret the incident and have apologised”.

Yesterday, Sky News editor-at-large Adam Boulton told The Guardian that the incident had raised concerns over “the credibility of our journalism”. 

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:11 PM

    RTE did the same surely ? oh… wait … they didn’t.

    385
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    Mute Clubhouse Barman.
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:27 PM

    Ah here… stop the madness.

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    Mute Karin Muller
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:00 PM

    Changed channels every time she came on! Her attitude does not surprise me one bit.

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    Mute Dean Anderson
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:33 PM

    I’m sorry to see Beth rigby go off air. she’s a good political commentator &what with brexit coming up she’ll be missed

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @Dean Anderson: Could we please take Miriam O’Callaghan off the air for 6 months too?

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    Mute Brendan O'Donoghue
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:47 PM

    @Dean Anderson: we will miss Kay and Beth

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    Mute Colleen
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:06 PM

    @Brendan O’Donoghue: we will miss Beth.

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    Mute Ronnie Smith
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:50 PM

    @lelookcoco: 6 months would not be long enough

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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Dec 10th 2020, 8:00 PM

    @lelookcoco: does that mean that we possibly could see no. More miriam. Occallaghan. Wow!.. Heavan!.

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    Mute Daniel Wilson
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    Dec 10th 2020, 10:27 PM

    @Dean Anderson: Kay is actually insufferable I can’t bear watching her.

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    Mute Boyd Gray
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    Dec 12th 2020, 11:32 AM

    @Brendan O’Donoghue: Like a hole in the head.

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    Mute patrick o keeffe
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:41 PM

    Without pay i presume otherwise its a holiday

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    Mute Ciaran Burke
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    Dec 10th 2020, 6:14 PM

    @patrick o keeffe: you can’t be that naive. I’m sure her contract is excellent it just says off air not suspended without pay.

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    Mute Arch Angel
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:52 PM

    I’m not a fan of Kay Burley, she seems to be the type of ‘journalist’ who would chase an ambulance and then follow the patient on the stretch into an operating theatre, shooing the surgeons to one side in the name of journalism and “the public have a right to know” nonsense. That said, if this explanation is accurate, then it does seem to be taking things a tad bit too far, an apology should suffice. Nobody should should be humilitated and punnished for having to use a toilet, Covid or not.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:48 PM

    Must be great to never make a mistake.

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    Mute Optimus Prime
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:54 PM

    @Jane: some mistakes are costly. You can’t sit on air, tell people to obey covid regulations and go about having a party.

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    Mute DK
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:16 PM

    @Optimus Prime: Unless you work for RTE.

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    Mute Jonathan
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    Dec 10th 2020, 6:45 PM

    Rte crew laughing away to themselves at how they got away with it

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    Mute RogersRabbit
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:59 PM

    Hopefully she won’t come back. Awful woman.

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    Mute Richard Ahern
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    Dec 10th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @RogersRabbit: She’s rather an attractive woman; gorgeous in fact

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    Mute David Peate
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:09 PM

    a good reason to watch sky news for a few months so

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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:01 PM

    Now if only we could get rid of Naga Munchetty…

    68
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    Mute Gerry Gleeson
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:56 PM

    Ah she is only reason I watch sky news in morning. Yet politicians keep their jobs and their advisors in UK

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    Mute D Mems
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    Dec 10th 2020, 6:10 PM

    @Gerry Gleeson: she hasn’t lost her job, she has voluntarily taken a 6 month suspension on full pay, according to UK media. That’s not a punishment, that’s a holiday

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    Mute The Irish Bull
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:53 PM

    Zero loss.

    44
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    Mute Susan Obrien
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    Dec 10th 2020, 6:45 PM

    I for one will not miss her

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    Mute skibob
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    Dec 10th 2020, 6:22 PM

    Thank god for that, she’s awful.

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    Mute Thomas Linehan
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    Dec 10th 2020, 9:08 PM

    And 45 rate staff at retirement party no censures
    A joke. Sky moved fast.

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    Mute Adam Conroy
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    Dec 10th 2020, 4:48 PM

    She should have told them to shove it.

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    Mute SandraMeyler
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:03 PM

    I understand the second restaurant she went to was a Kebab shop, she ordered a large Doner with extra chilli sauce

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    Mute theseadoc
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    Dec 10th 2020, 10:19 PM

    An absolute weapon, but she looks good for 60.

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Dec 10th 2020, 11:11 PM

    Kay burley who seems to have the biggest ego in the history of journalism, once she gets to interview anyone that has knowledge she melts, and starts reading the autocue provided by her master’s at sky news. Horrible woman hopefully she is gone forever please god. IMO.

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    Mute len len
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    Dec 10th 2020, 10:14 PM

    She’s grand for 60..

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    Mute jeremiah
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    Dec 10th 2020, 5:31 PM

    ” sad eyes “

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    Mute Ger Murray
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    Dec 10th 2020, 9:20 PM

    Wait for year’s to pass and try to explain this one to youngster’s, they’d be amazed.Its over the top in my opinion

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    Mute Pat Andrews
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    Dec 10th 2020, 9:04 PM

    Hit her pocket

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    Mute Damien Leen
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    Dec 11th 2020, 1:08 AM

    Not long enough…that woman is poison…

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    Mute WreckDefier
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    Dec 10th 2020, 10:35 PM

    I will be crying into my cornflakes every morning for the next six months

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