Carole Malone erupts at Jeremy Vine guest as he refuses to take calls over NHS strikes

Carole Malone erupted at BMA Resident Doctors Committee Co-chair Ross Nieuwoudt on a recent instalment of Jeremy Vine over a proposed five-day strike with resident doctors. It comes after the British Medical Association (BMA) announced resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, would walk out for five consecutive days from July 25 amid a Government pay dispute.

Carole fumed at Ross on the Channel 5 show, telling him: "This is greed, you've got a..." The guest then tried to interject, but Carole instantly shut him down, saying: "This is a debate, OK?" She continued: "You've got a 22 per cent pay rise last year, you've just been given 5.4 per and you still want another 29 per cent. That is unadulterated greed."

Jeremy chimed in, saying, "Carole, that's not a question; that's just a statement. Ross, I know you won't take calls for some reason..." However, Carole swiped: "It's probably because he can't answer the question."

When Jeremy clarified he would not take calls from the public, Carole asked why that was the case. "Are you frightened of the public?" She probed.

Ross replied: "I'm not frightened at all," to which Carole fumed: "Well, you are letting them down, are you frightened of what they have to say to you. Why don't you take some calls?"

Trying to mitigate the situation, Jeremy stressed that members of the public dislike the idea of the strike. He also asked Ross how he could complain about pay erosion when he only became a doctor in 2021.

"You joined after the pay eroded (13 years ago). Why did you join if it was too low? You didn't suffer from pay erosion," Jeremy asked Ross, who replied: "I did, our pay has continued to erode since that time. Doctors are still paid less than they were before COVID."

Carole later said: "Doctors shouldn't be allowed to strike because you are putting people's lives in danger. You're causing fear, you're causing terror, you're causing worry with sick people who you took an oath to protect."

Jeremy Vine on 5 airs on weekdays from 9.15am on Channel 5.