Victoria Derbyshire took over Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on June 28 and quickly found herself at the centre of a viewer backlash. Steve Reed repeatedly called her “Vic” during the interview, and the exchange prompted complaints on X that the tone looked biased.
Derbyshire had introduced Reed as one of Sir Keir Starmer’s “closest allies” before bringing him on. He then used the nickname more than once, turning what should have been a routine interview into a sharper test of how far informality can go on live television.
Steve Reed and Victoria Derbyshire
The clearest flashpoint was not the policy discussion but the repeated use of “Vic”. One viewer wrote: “Twice during his interview with Victoria Derbyshire Steve Reed called her 'Vic'. Not a good look for either of them & I can't imagine Victoria Derbyshire was happy about it. Gives the impression its one big club.”
Others drew the same conclusion in different language. “That’s because it is one big club. She's paid from the same pot at LK. If she wasn’t part of the establishment she wouldn’t be there,” one viewer wrote, while another said, “I would have told him straight. That is rude and shows a lack of respect. This was a televised interview not a chat in the pub.”
, cost cuts, and merger plans
The episode landed during a broader restructuring. This year, the announced a sweeping cost-cutting drive worth £500million, with plans to cut 2,000 jobs over the next three years. Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg is also set to merge with Newsnight, which adds another layer to how the programme is being repositioned.
Derbyshire’s role on June 28 was temporary, but the reaction showed how quickly a presenter change can become part of the story. A viewer also warned: “When politicians like @SteveReedMP & others talk about other politicians' wives or husbands, PLEASE do not refer to them by name. We do not know them. This is not a party staff magazine. It is network television #bbclaurak And it's Victoria Derbyshire to viewers, not Vic.”
What remains unresolved is whether Reed’s use of “Vic” was a one-off slip or a repeated pattern chosen for effect. For viewers, the point was immediate and simple: the informal address sat badly with a televised interview already being judged through the lens of impartiality.
