Channel 4 have called in security experts after presenter Cathy Newman received death threats and abuse online

Channel 4 have called in security experts after presenter Cathy Newman received death threats and abuse online.

The attacks followed a fiery interview on gender with outspoken ‘anti-feminist’ psychologist Jordan Peterson on Channel 4 News.

Sick messages posted online after the interview on Tuesday included ‘RIP Cathy Newman’ and ‘Cathy Newman we know where you live’.

The mother-of-two was also called a ‘b****’ in more than 500 postings and was the target of other obscene misogynistic messages.

Ms Newman, 43, suffered further distress yesterday when her 13-year-old daughter found a pornographic mock-up on Instagram of her mother with Dr Peterson.

During the 30-minute interview, Ms Newman quizzed the Toronto University professor of psychology about his radical views on the differences between men and women in the workplace and the limits of free speech.

The exchange has since been watched more than two million times on the Channel 4 News YouTube page and attracted over 40,000 comments. Ms Newman tweeted that she had enjoyed her clash with Dr Peterson and posted: ‘Viva feminism, viva free speech.’

Dr Peterson, who rose to prominence in 2016 after insisting his right to free speech meant he should not be forced to use gender-neutral pronouns for transgender students, also later said he enjoyed the encounter.

But many of the professor’s admirers attacked Ms Newman as soon as the interview finished. One described her as being a member of the ‘Low IQ Left Establishment’ and another said she should be ‘ashamed of such a catastrophic interview’.

The attacks followed a fiery interview on gender with outspoken ‘anti-feminist’ psychologist Jordan Peterson on Channel 4 News

Critical comments were expected but the death threats have caused serious alarm. Ben de Pear, editor of Channel 4 News, condemned the trolls and called the abuse a ‘terrible indictment of the times we live in

Critical comments were expected but the death threats have caused serious alarm. Ben de Pear, editor of Channel 4 News, condemned the trolls and called the abuse a ‘terrible indictment of the times we live in’.

He tweeted: ‘Our Channel 4 News onscreen journalists expect to be held to account for their journalism but the level of vicious, misogynistic abuse, nastiness and threat to Cathy Newman is an unacceptable response to a robust and engaging debate.’

The broadcaster warned it would not hesitate to call in the police. A spokesman said: ‘Cathy Newman has been the target of unwarranted and unacceptable misogynistic abuse and threats… we will not tolerate this level of abuse.’

Dr Peterson has been criticised in the past for being anti-feminist. He strongly denies the accusation, saying he is ‘pro-individual’.