GB News's Bev Turner honoured with role model award - 'This is for anyone who believes in free speech'

Bev Turner has vowed to carry on fighting to be an advocate for free speech after receiving a prestigious award for her work as a broadcaster.

The GB News presenter, who has been a vocal critic of lockdown policies, was named Aspirational Public Figure Of The Year at the Inspiration Awards for Women.

Bev collected the gong at London's Landmark Hotel during a star-studded event, which also saw broadcasting legend Mary Berry pick up a Lifetime Achievement award.

Commenting on the success, she said: “I’m hugely honoured to have received this award. I’d like to dedicate it to everyone who despaired at the lack of balanced debate and honest reporting we’ve witnessed since Spring 2020.

“I’d also like to say a special thank you to everyone who sent me messages of support every time I got criticised for trying to provide an alternative view. Rest assured I will continue fighting to be an advocate for free speech.”

Bev launched a new show, called Bev Turner Today, on GB News in 2022 having previously appeared regularly as a panellist.

She said: “The audience seemed to warm to me probably because, like them, I am also an avid viewer of the channel.

"Off screen, I’ve had a challenging few years. I got divorced and chose to prioritise my children over my career for a while. Then I found myself widely side-lined by the media for questioning and criticising lockdown policies that – to me - were always going to cause more harm than good.

"Thankfully now, with family life more settled, the time feels right for the huge commitment of a live, daily show - and there is nowhere I would rather do that than at GB News.

"This award makes me even more determined to ensure GB News remains the undisputed home of free speech.”

Speaking to Eamonn Holmes on GB News Breakfast, Bev said she was shocked to be nominated after the organisers contacted her confirming her consideration.

She said: “When I got the feedback from the judges they said that the feeling that they were getting from the people who were voting, the fact that you were an advocate for free speech over the last couple of years, the difficult conversations that you had on the TV about asking the questions around the logic of lockdowns, around closing the schools, around closing down businesses.

“People related to the fact that they were also having difficult conversations. It was difficult for everybody.”

The presenter added: “It is brilliant, and it’s brilliant for GB News as well.

“It’s not just for me, it’s for the channel as well and what we hopefully represent.”

The Inspiration Awards for Women, dubbed the Oscars for women, were set up to acknowledge those who have been role models to a next generation of girls’.

It acknowledges women from all backgrounds and previous winners have included Dame Helen Mirren; Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Katie Piper, and Adele.

The Awards were founded over a decade ago to help showcase the stories of many women with inspirational stories of how they fought back against adversity and became successful.