With BBC impartiality under the spotlight, a Guardian exclusive on Friday – alleging the BBC shelved a final episode of David Attenborough’s latest documentary for fear of a “right wing backlash” – gained traction on social media. Despite the BBC denying the “totally inaccurate” claims, Pippa Crerar’s tweet sharing the article alone got 1.3 million views.

Helena Horton, took to Twitter to spin the narrative. She dismissed the BBC’s denial as “Orwellian”. 

Can assure you my story is impeccably sourced, and yes the BBC’s (in my personal view) Orwellian comment is included in the piece 😊

— Helena Horton (@horton_official) March 10, 2023

Despite Ms Horton’s insistence the Guardian quietly changed their tune. Amending the piece to include the denial:

After this morning Helena will have another organisation to add to her list of Orwellian censors. Speaking on the Today programme, Tonya Steele, the CEO of the World Wildlife Foundation, who funded* the programme, added to the evidence against the piece. She called the Guardian’s reporting “categorically not true”.

The GUardian’s environment reporter is a repeat offender. This is in the tradition of Helena’s fake grouse story, There is a pattern..

*That in itself is striking.