Jeremy Vine will no longer host the 2026 Carers UK Awards after Carers UK reversed its earlier decision on August 16. The change follows criticism over his appointment and leaves the awards without a named host.
Carers UK said it wanted the evening to stay focused on celebrating carers, and the individuals and organisations that support them. Vine said he was happy to stand aside and give someone else the honour of hosting the awards.
Carers UK Awards and Jeremy Vine
Carers UK announced Vine earlier this week as host of the 2026 Carers UK Awards, which are meant to shine a spotlight on unpaid carers. The reversal came after social media backlash, with the organization saying it had listened to its community over the past couple of days.
“Following discussions with Jeremy Vine, we've made the decision that he will no longer be hosting this year's Carers UK Awards,” a Carers UK spokesperson said. The spokesperson added: “Jeremy has been incredibly supportive of Carers UK including through his radio show, and we're grateful for that support.”
Jeremy Vine on Twitter/X
Vine said on Twitter/X that he had agreed to host the awards to support a friend who watched her husband die in a long and painful process. “Because I host debates about welfare, benefits etc I see I was a controversial choice to be the (obviously unpaid) host of the prestigious @CarersUK awards so I'm very happy to stand aside and give someone else the honour of doing it,” he wrote.
He added: “I'm not a campaigner, and guests on my shows know I have to be impartial, but I'm very much aware of the vital role unpaid carers play.” He also said: “I believe we've only ever covered them sympathetically.”
Mike O'Brien and Reform UK
Mike O’Brien reacted on Twitter/X with the words “chosen to stab us all in the back” after Carers UK first named Vine. He also wrote: “This man has made clear his hate for disabled people, the vulnerable and unpaid carers, yet you chose him to host the awards ceremony.”
The dispute came the same day Vine's Channel 5 programme ran a segment titled “Reform right to call for cuts to disability benefits?” That broadcast sat alongside the backlash and helps explain why Carers UK said it wanted no other content to distract from the awards.
The organization now has to choose another host for an event intended to keep attention on unpaid carers and their supporters. Vine said he would cheer the winners from a distance.
