Comedian Robin Ince quits as host of BBC’s Infinite Monkey Cage | Radio 4

Comedian and writer Robin Ince has resigned as host of the long-running BBC Radio 4 podcast The Infinite Monkey Cage, following a dispute with BBC executives over “problematic” views and what he called a lack of “obedience”.

İnce, who has been presenting the popular science program with Prof Brian Cox for 16 years, shared on social media that his personal views published outside the BBC “have been seen as problematic for a while” and that he “felt he had no choice but to resign”.

“I voice support for the trans community, critiques of Donald Trump,” she wrote on Instagram. [and] Many other outlandish ideas, including once gently criticizing Stephen Fry, were thought to be at odds with being a BBC freelance science presenter.

“At a recent meeting where BBC studio executives raised the issues once again, I became aware of my choices. To comply and be quieter, to remain in the Monkey Cage, or to ‘resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believed were injustices’. I chose the latter. It broke my heart.”

He said he resigned in September and recorded the final episode of the award-winning radio show, which he co-produced, on Friday.

He added that he saw his resignation as a “victory” for his critics and acknowledged that he was not what the “current BBC” expected from its freelance presenters.

The BBC has strict impartiality rules; These rules state that “the highest degree of impartiality is required in news and journalism of all kinds” and require that “any person holding a position requiring impartiality who wishes to express views publicly on current public policy, policy or any controversial issue…must notify line managers in advance.”

Allegations of “serious and systemic problems” with the broadcaster’s coverage of topics including Trump, Gaza and trans issues led to the resignation of its chief executive Tim Davie last month.

İnce said that he had never thought of leaving the series before. “I dreamed of continuing under the studio lights until I died from the brain aneurysm caused by my last attempt to understand the concepts of quantum gravity, or from the shock of being told about the fly maggot infestation in the pouches of macaque monkeys.

“I love this show and the audience, and it was a very difficult decision to make, especially because of the audience. I kept thinking about all the extreme voices that promote hatred and division.

“Voices that represent kindness and open-mindedness are given many platforms while being heard [and] Empathy seems to be decreasing. “I felt like I couldn’t indulge myself in the luxury of silence.”

The BBC has been approached for comment.