Sangita Myska speaks out on LBC and James O'Brien amid Israel row

The National

28-05-2025

Myska was removed from her hosting role with LBC in spring 2024, around two weeks after a tense interview with Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman, who called her questions 'outrageous' multiple times.
The timing sparked claims that the interview with the Israeli representative had led to Myska's departure. Prominent journalists, broadcasters, politicians, and celebrities signed an open letter to LBC expressing 'deep concern' over her sudden disappearance from the station.
In March 2025, LBC host James O'Brien hit out at the allegations, suggesting that Myska had remained silent on purpose to allow 'slurs and antisemitic conspiracy theories' about her departure to develop.
In a post on social media the day after the O'Brien exchange, Myska said only: "Many of you have shown me immense kindness, support and understanding over the last 24 hours. Thank you x."
Now, the former LBC host has issued a longer statement about the affair – saying she is legally restricted on what she can say but she still hoped to "draw a line under the matter".
Myska said: 'A few weeks ago, many of you contacted me feeling deeply upset by comments made by my former colleague James O'Brien on his show. For the second time, he publicly speculated about my abrupt disappearance from LBC.
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'I wish to make it clear that there are extremely onerous and lasting contractual restrictions that prevent me from discussing the circumstances surrounding my departure. These restrictions were integral to my original presenter agreement.
'The terms are not just restrictive: they remain in place indefinitely. I am not permitted to explain what happened before or after I left. I would have expected anyone associated with LBC to realise that.
'What I can say is this: I left LBC last year. I was not informed in advance that my time at the station was ending prematurely. I was not allowed to say goodbye to my listeners.
'My final sixteen weekend shows were pulled from the schedule without my knowledge, discussion or agreement.'
Myska went on: 'It has been suggested, including by James O'Brien on his LBC show, that by remaining silent I deliberately allowed antisemitic conspiracy theories surrounding my departure to develop and chose not to correct them. That accusation is false. It is deeply upsetting. And it goes against everything I stand for as a journalist and as a human being.
'I have – and will always – fight against racism and bigotry including antisemitism.
Sangita Myska left her role with LBC in 2024 (Image: LBC) 'These false claims are especially damaging because I cannot respond to them in full. It is unjust for LBC or its associates to speculate publicly about the reasons for my departure while I remain legally silenced. I have now taken formal steps to request that this stops.'
Myska went on to refute suggestions from O'Brien that she had been dropped because of poor audience ratings. On his show in March, O'Brien had said: 'We sit in a room every three months, every single person that works here. They show us graphs of how our programme is performing. Everybody knows when someone is vulnerable.'
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However, Myska said she had 'reached record average audiences in excess of half a million listeners a week in two separate quarters – verified by RAJAR, the official and impartial body for measuring UK radio audiences'.
'We created a huge digital footprint. The show grew because people believed in it. We built something powerful,' she added.
'This has been a painful and difficult time. But your support has reminded me that truth matters. Fairness matters. And journalism done properly still matters.'
LBC's parent firm Global Media has been approached for comment.