Channel 5 presenter who accused Dan Walker of bullying ‘was ostracised by his colleagues and banned from newsroom’

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Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije, 47, a news presenter for Channel 5, reportedly faced difficulties with her colleagues after she alleged that her co-star, Dan Walker, had behaved in a sexist, misogynistic, and bullying manner.

Next week, Vanderpuije will go head-to-head with her former colleague, Walker, in a five-week employment tribunal hearing in London.

Ms. Vanderpuije is filing claims against Walker, age 49, as well as ITN (the producer of Channel 5 News) and its parent company, Paramount.

The former BBC Breakfast host denies all the allegations.

According to a recent report, Vanderpuije shared email conversations while she was barred from the newsroom after filing a complaint in 2024. However, she lost the backing of most of her colleagues, who continue to support Walker.

According to The Times, the disagreement escalated to the point where ITN’s CEO, Rachel Corp, barred Vanderpuije from the newsroom.

‘Vanderpuije responded by circulating their exchange of emails to scores of her colleagues.’

In February 2024, while investigating her concerns and ongoing redundancy discussions, ITN offered the newsreader paid leave, according to a report in The Times.

According to a source, after returning to her desk, she was sent home because the company had a responsibility to protect her and others. Any support she had within the organization disappeared when she publicly named Dan Walker in her legal claim.

Honestly, everyone who works with him says he’s a genuinely lovely person. He’s always looking out for the others, especially those just starting out – it’s so refreshing! He’s the complete opposite of those inflated egos you see on screen all the time. It’s just… I feel bad that he’s caught up in all this drama. It’s a shame, really, especially after Claudia-Liza wasn’t given the chance she deserved, and now he’s in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.

A spokesperson for Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije stated she is unable to discuss her claims publicly due to legal restrictions until the trial. At that time, her lawyer will fully present her case with all supporting evidence. She intends to address any criticisms made by the other parties involved, which have appeared in the media, during the trial.

Representatives for Walker and ITN have been contacted by Daily Mail for comment. 

Following her departure from Channel 5 in 2024 after more than five years as a news presenter – including the last year working alongside former BBC presenter Walker, 49, who joined the channel in 2023 – Ms. Vanderpuije has made several claims.

According to a source at ITN who spoke with The Times, hiring Dan signaled that the presenter would play a supporting role and wouldn’t be treated as an equal. The source said this is a common practice in television news, where individuals are often deliberately placed in secondary positions.

On Sunday, Jonathan Coad, the lawyer for Ms. Vanderpuije, released a statement on her behalf. Coad previously represented Phillip Schofield, a former BBC presenter who faced controversy.

Claudia-Liza believes she was unfairly dismissed after reporting concerns about a harmful work environment at the Channel 5 Newsroom. She claims she was targeted because she spoke out about racism, sexism, bullying, and a generally toxic culture, and that these issues were reflected in the news content produced.

She claims that ITN and Channel 5 attempted to hide a racist environment within Channel 5 News, and that they allowed this to continue even though it violated their legal responsibilities.

Because of the upcoming trial, Claudia-Liza isn’t allowed to discuss her accusations publicly at this time.

Walker, a married father of three, strongly denies the accusations against him. He has collected over 50 statements from people who can vouch for his character, including athletes, journalists from the BBC, and other professional colleagues.

According to a source, Dan strongly refutes accusations of sexism, misogyny, racism, or bullying, which have been circulating for several years.

‘Nobody wants this but he will be there to tell the judge the truth.

Honestly, it’s amazing! Everyone is coming forward to say what a genuinely good person Dan is. He’s completely blown away by the sheer number of people wanting to vouch for him – it’s just incredible to see how much love and support he has. I knew he was amazing, but seeing all these statements… it just confirms everything!

‘He has been stunned and actually very upset to be accused of such things.’

In April 2024, Walker, a deeply religious man, was fully cleared of wrongdoing after an investigation into claims of serious misconduct at his workplace.

People with knowledge of the investigation say there wasn’t enough proof to back up the allegations, and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Walker fully cooperated with the inquiry.

This investigation stemmed from complaints made by Ms. Vanderpuije, but none of them were confirmed as valid.

In 2024, Walker stated that the matter had been thoroughly investigated and he was completely cleared by an independent review.

According to Ms. Vanderpuije’s lawyer, the company’s internal review didn’t thoroughly examine her complaint, and this matter will be brought up in court.

Neither Walker nor Ms. Vanderpuije would offer a statement. ITN stated that they completely reject the claim and will be addressing it during the legal proceedings.

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2026-04-14 14:49