Bev Turner once seemed an unlikely figure to become a darling of Britain’s populist right. A respected sports broadcaster in the late 1990s and early 2000s, she built her reputation in mainstream journalism: ITV’s Formula One coverage, lifestyle shows and a book exposing sexism in motorsport. She was, by most measures, part of the liberal-minded media establishment.
And yet, two decades later, she sits at the centre of GB News, hosting programmes that echo talking points from the populist right and railing against the very institutions she once worked for. How did this shift happen?
Turner’s early career showed flashes of independence, but not ideological extremism. Writing about Formula One in The Pits, she cast herself as a feminist critic of a macho culture. Later, on BBC Radio 5 Live, she fronted shows about pregnancy and family life, offering support and solidarity to women navigating new parenthood. It was work that placed her firmly within the mainstream of British broadcasting.
The turning point came not in the 2000s, but during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the government imposed lockdowns, promoted vaccines and tried to steer the public through crisis, Turner positioned herself as a sceptic. On This Morning and Jeremy Vine, she clashed with colleagues and public health experts, voicing doubts that resonated with a minority audience but also spread confusion. This was the opening right-wing voices had been waiting for.
Turner’s scepticism did not exist in a vacuum. During the pandemic, a well-organised ecosystem of right-wing commentators, YouTubers and media outlets amplified dissenting voices and encouraged them to push further. Anti-lockdown platforms welcomed Turner with open arms. Social media algorithms rewarded contrarian soundbites. In this climate, Turner was not merely offering “balance” but was being drawn into a feedback loop: validated with attention, booked as a guest, and soon indispensable to outlets keen to exploit Covid as a wedge issue. Her move to GB News was the logical endpoint of this process: a network that thrives on converting dissent into a culture-war brand.
Turner herself insists she has not changed—that she simply stands for free speech in a censorious age. But this framing misses the point. The right-wing media machine thrives on recruiting formerly mainstream figures, presenting them as brave dissidents, and using them to launder fringe positions into everyday debate. Turner is a textbook case. What began as scepticism about pandemic policy has morphed into a steady stream of culture-war commentary, closely aligned with populist talking points.
Turner’s journey from respected broadcaster to GB News provocateur is more than a personal evolution—it reflects a pattern of political repositioning. The pandemic created fertile ground for distrust, and right-wing media actors seized the chance to encourage sceptical broadcasters and integrate them into their ecosystem.
Bev Turner’s shift to the right is not just her own story—it is a cautionary tale. It shows how quickly respected voices can be absorbed into the machinery of outrage, and how a public health crisis became the staging ground for Britain’s ongoing culture wars. Turner may believe she simply stood still while the world moved. The truth is more troubling: she was drawn in, validated and encouraged by right-wing media actors eager for credibility and controversy.
