Alastair has stepped down from ITV News (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

A tweet from Alastair Stewart’s Twitter account, which appears to compare a black man to an ‘ape’, has resurfaced.

Alastair, 67, announced he has quit as presenter of ITV News after more than 40 years as a newsreader.

ITN confirmed it was due to ‘errors of judgement in Alastair’s use of social media’ and ‘breached’ their editorial guidelines.

They did not specify what exactly prompted him to step down.


In light of the news, Twitter users are now circulating a tweet which Alastair reportedly sent on 13 January 2020.

It quotes Shakespeare and was sent to a Twitter user, who happens to be black.



‘“But man, proud man, Dress’d in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he’s most assur’d – His glassy essence – like an angry ape”,’ the tweet read.

The Twitter user reposted the tweet and commented: ‘Just an @itv newsreader referring to me as an ape with the cover of Shakespeare.

‘Measure for measure, Alistair is a disgrace [sic].’

Other tweets from Alastair’s now-deleted Twitter account, includes his opinion on Labour NEC’s Pete Willsman being suspended after allegedly branding antisemitism ‘total lies’.

He’s the longest serving male newsreader in Britain (Picture: REX/Shutterst)

Alastair tweeted: ‘At best it is anti-israeli and arguable anti-Zionist. Antisemitism is “hostility to, or prejudice against, jews. I’m not saying #PeteWillsman is or isn’t antisemitic, I am merely suggesting this doesn’t seem the strongest evidential case [sic].’

Announcing his departure from the news channel, Alastair said in a statement: ‘It was a misjudgement which I regret, but it’s been a privilege to bring the news to households throughout the UK for the past 40 years.’

Michael Jermey, director of news and current affairs at ITV, said: ‘Alastair has been a long-standing, familiar figure to viewers of ITV News, both reporting and presenting with distinction. We wish him the very best for the future.’

ITN’s chief executive Anna Mallett added: ‘We would like to recognise Alastair’s contribution as one of the UK’s foremost journalists and TV presenters and to thank him for his commitment to delivering high-quality broadcast news over many years.’

Alastair is the longest-serving male newsreader in the UK after working in both local and national news for more than four decades.

The presenter made TV history when he moderated the first debate between political leaders David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg in the 2010 general election.

Alastair’s reps declined to comment further when approached about the tweets.

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