The Guardian tosses Pie in scandal that never was

The Guardian has a particular hang up about RT. In attempting to spin Tom Walker’s – and his character Jonathan Pie's – exit from our UK channel, it betrays its bias.

While we were thinking where to even start addressing the absurdity of The Guardian’s latest RT hit piece, "Mr. Angry of TV comedy severs links with Putin network on way to Edinburgh fringe," we noted that one commenter already did the work.

"Despite the hapless comedian having nothing negative to say about the place where he was given full artistic control the propagandists in charge of hacking together the article tried valiantly to make it appear as if he was fleeing the authoritarian hand of the devil," wrote ‘brokedog’.

The comedian in question is the funny and original Tom Walker, with whom RT UK had the pleasure of working over the last year.

How do we know The Guardian is totally off-the-wall here? Because Walker’s actual comments within the piece are nothing but complimentary of RT.

Have a gander: “When I started out I had various offers and, funnily enough, RT were the ones that offered me total artistic control, which I really wanted,” Walker revealed. “It was important to me that I would not be controlled, although I had more lucrative offers.”

Even in The Guardian’s own words, buried several paragraphs below the sensationalist headline, is a concession that “Walker said that, while he was grateful for the platform RT had given Jonathan Pie, he was now ready to move on.” Not quite the “severed links” and running for cover The Guardian wants you to imagine.

So there you have it. Here at RT, Tom and his “angry” character Jonathan Pie found a platform where his creative freedoms were never limited, and where he attracted an audience that we hope will last his entire career. We’re happy that RT was his launching pad and we will continue to nurture top media talent, as we have since the network’s launch. We wish Tom all the best with his live shows and in any new endeavors he takes on. We will also continue to bring our viewers top-quality, honest political satire, the likes of which you rarely see on languid British TV – so tune in for RT UK’s two other political comedy projects, News Thing and Viper’s Views!