Legendary broadcaster and all-round good sport Jon Snow attended Glastonbury for the first time this weekend – and it seems he may have got a little caught up in the festival spirit.
According to reports, the 69-year-old took part in a chant of "F*** the Tories" and sarcastically reminded his fellow festival-goers that he's "supposed to be neutral" as part of his job as a newsreader for Channel 4 News.
In a statement, Snow didn't deny taking part in the Tory-bashing but said: “After a day at Glastonbury, I can honestly say I have no recollection of what was chanted, sung or who I took over 1,000 selfies with," reported the Independent.
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On Monday evening, a photo emerged on Twitter of the journalist with his arms around a group of students at the festival but the tweet has since been deleted, possibly because people started commenting on it and the accompanying tweet.
Adele's record for most swear words used at #Glastonbury was smashed this year.....by Jon Snow #jonsnow #Glasto pic.twitter.com/fpbEPqAMQs
— Ashley McGovern (@bobshley) June 28, 2017
One of the students, Danny Millea, wrote: “Boss place that Glasto. Having a dance with Jon Snow and hearing him shout f*** the tories is what dreams are made of.” He also said he was impressed when the veteran broadcaster “turned around just after he got off and sarcastically went ‘I’m supposed to be neutral’.”
Snow is alleged to have made the comment after throwing some shapes with the students. Millea added: “He was proper sound, had a good little boogie with him and a good laugh, walked off and he sarcastically said he’s a neutral hahahah.”
Aside from the questions over his professionalism, Snow appears to have had the time of his life at his first Glastonbury. He tweeted about the "dusty selfies; great music; loads of longing for a decent poltics [sic]" and said it was "amazing" to be "amid a real energy for a better politics", presumably referring to the Corbynmania that swept the festival.
First trip to Glastonbury: dusty selfies; great music; loads of longing for a decent poltics
— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) June 23, 2017
Amazing to be amongst 200,000 at Glastonbury amid a real energy for a better politics
— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) June 23, 2017
He also retweeted a Channel 4 News clip of Corbyn's speech on the festival's Pyramid stage, in which the Labour leader quoted Shelley and made a plea for a "decent, better society" to a rapturous response from the packed-out audience.
"Oh, Jeremy Corbyn, Oh Jeremy Corbyn". Glastonbury crowds cheer the Labour leader as he delivers a political speech. pic.twitter.com/uULZIoRWBG
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 24, 2017
Luckily, despite calls from the political right for him to be sacked, it doesn't look like Snow's job will be at risk. Ofcom, the communications regulator and media watchdog, said it only ever considers complaints about content aired over its licensed services, and its neutrality guidelines don't relate to what journalists do in their own time.
Channel 4 hasn't commented on the allegations at the time of writing.
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