Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week after he swore at government minister Steve Baker.
Guru-Murthy, who was broadcasting from Downing Street, was heard on an audio feed saying “what a c**t” as the Tory MP walked away.
He later tweeted that following a “robust interview” with Mr Baker, he had “used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air”.
He added: “While it was not broadcast, that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly.
“I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry.”
Explaining its decision, Channel 4 said it has a “strict code of conduct for all its employees, including its programming teams and on-air presenters, and takes any breaches seriously”.
It added: “Following an off-air incident, Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week.”
Because the presenter had already booked a week of leave, he will not be back on air before 4 November.
Mr Baker later told Times Radio that sacking Guru-Murthy would be a “service to the public” if he was found to be in breach of his code of conduct.
He added: “I had an interview earlier with a journalist I don’t have a great deal of regard for who I felt was misrepresenting the situation through the construction of his question, which I called out.
“And he clearly didn’t like that, quite right, too. But I’d be quite honest, I spent a long time live on air, calling him out on his conduct as a journalist and glad to do so any time.
“But it’s most unfortunate that he’s sworn on air like that. If it’s in breach of his code of conduct, I do hope they sack him – it would be a service to the public.”
Baker later replied to Guru-Murthy’s tweet, accepting the apology and saying he “appreciated” the gesture.
The interview followed a tumultuous day in Westminster.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman had resigned and been replaced by former transport secretary Grant Shapps.
