Nadine Dorries rapped for ‘groundless’ claim over Channel 4 reality show

Report could be obstacle to peerage for former culture secretary

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has been censured by a parliamentary committee for wrongly claiming that members of public appearing on a Channel 4 TV documentary were in fact actors.

The Commons Culture Committee found that Ms Dorries’ allegation – made in evidence to the committee in May – was “groundless” and said it was “disappointed” that she had failed to accept her recollection was flawed.

In a report, the committee said it was concerned that the MP may have been trying to use parliamentary privilege to “traduce the reputation” of Channel 4, which she was seeking to privatise.