Simon McCoy joined GB News after leaving the BBC (Picture: BBC)
Simon McCoy has admitted he was pretty relieved Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby daughter Lilibet Diana was born before the launch of GB News.
The former BBC News reporter is well-known for not loving Royal baby announcements, so was pretty pleased it didn’t come down to him to report it.
‘I was more than happy that the Duchess of Sussex announced the arrival of Lilibet while we were rehearsing for the launch of GB News,’ Simon said. ‘Because I didn’t have to report it live on air.’
The presenter added to i News: ‘I did sometimes wonder why we were obsessing with these Royal births in the way that we did.’
However, the 59-year-old did have a plan for if it did happen while he was on air, explaining: ‘I might have laid down on the sofa and pretended nothing had happened, I may even have said: “Are we doing the news today or are we staying with this?” You would not have been disappointed.’
BBC News viewers loved Simon for his off-script moments, which more than once saw him completely unamused at news pieces, including Prince William and Kate Middleton announcing the due date of their third child.
‘Bearing in mind they announced she was pregnant back in September and it was thought she was around two, three months pregnant, I’m not sure how much news this really is,’ Simon pondered at the time.
‘But anyway it’s April, so clear your diaries, get the time booked off. Because that’s what I’m doing,’ he joked.
When it came to the actual birth, he was true to form, saying during his live coverage that, until an announcement came from Buckingham Palace, ‘We’re gonna be speculating about this royal birth with no facts to hand at the moment.’
Can’t say he’s not honest!