James Whale suspended by TalkRadio over rape victim interview

Host appeared to laugh as Nichi Hodgson described assault

Radio talk show host James Whale has been suspended after appearing to laugh at a rape victim during an interview.

Announcing its decision, TalkRadio said the presenter “completely lacked sensitivity” when he questioned Nichi Hodgson, who says she was sexually assaulted in the back of a black cab in January.

The station said “regrettable errors” were made by both presenters and producers of the show.

Ms Hodgson, a broadcast journalist herself, said she was “interrogated, ridiculed and had [her] journalistic integrity questioned” during the discussion.

She was invited on-air as part of a segment on the effect of the #MeToo movement on flirting.

In a video clip, Ms Hodgson is heard describing the assault, while the presenter mouths the words “orally raped”, laughs and shakes his head.

The recording was originally posted online by TalkRadio, but has since been deleted.

Ms Hodgson told The Guardian she was taking a black cab home after a night out, when a man jumped into the vehicle and tried to kiss her. When she fought him off, he pushed her to the floor, took his penis out and forced it into her mouth.

Police said the chances of finding her attacker were small, owing to a lack of forensic evidence and the fact CCTV was often destroyed after 30 days.

Ms Hodgson wrote: “What began as a typically strident exchange between me and a journalist known for his belligerent presenting style became a merciless exercise in how not to interview someone who has experienced a sexual assault.”

He questioned the details of the incident before asking: “Are you not concerned that unless you went further with this, then this brute could actually do it to other women?”

Ms Hodgson accused him of victim-blaming, saying such behaviour was “the very reason for why those who experience assault will continue to keep quiet about it”.

In a statement posted on Twitter and retweeted by Mr Whale, TalkRadio said: “James Whale’s interview with Nichi Hodgson on Monday was conducted in a manner that did not reflect the values of the station and completely lacked sensitivity when she discussed her personal story.

“This style of broadcasting is not something that TalkRadio supports or encourages, and we have taken the decision to suspend James Whale pending a full investigation.

“This incident saw regrettable errors made by both the production and presenting teams and we are taking measures to ensure that they are not repeated again.”

The debate was sparked by an interview with author Jilly Cooper, published in The Sunday Times last week, where she said: “You can’t flirt anymore,” in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Mr Whale previously worked for TalkSport radio station, but was fired in 2008 after calling on listeners to vote for Boris Johnson during London’s mayoral election – a serious breach of impartiality rules, according to media regulator Ofcom.

The presenter appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, where he was the sixth housemate to leave the show.

The Independent has contacted Mr Whale and Ms Hodgson for comment.