British Reporter Calls Parliament Member The C-Word On Live Feed And Pays Price

British Channel 4 news anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy was suspended Thursday after he was caught calling a member of Parliament the c-word.

The remark was not broadcast on the air but was heard on a live feed as Guru-Murthy interviewed Conservative MP Steve Baker about Liz Truss , who resigned as prime minister on Thursday.

“It wasn’t a stupid question, Steve, you know it. I’m very happy to go up against you on Truss any day,” Guru-Murthy said. A few seconds later he said, “What a cunt,” with a laugh.

“Channel 4 has a strict code of conduct for all its employees, including its programming teams and on-air presenters, and takes any breaches seriously,” head of news Louisa Compton tweeted . “Following an off-air incident Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week.”

Guru-Murthy had posted on Twitter earlier to apologize for Wednesday’s gaffe.

“After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP, I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air,” he wrote. “While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry.”

Baker, the minister of state for Northern Ireland , said in a radio interview it would be a “service to the public” if the station fired Guru-Murthy, The Guardian reported . But he later accepted the journalist’s apology.