Carol Vorderman has said she is “overwhelmed” by the support shown by her “bloody marvellous” fans after leaving her BBC radio show over the corporation’s new social media guidelines.
The former Countdown co-host announced she was leaving on Wednesday because she was “not prepared to lose [her] voice on social media”.
In a post on Instagram on Thursday, she said: “I want to say from my heart thank you.
“I am overwhelmed by all of your support, it’s just extraordinary.
“You know, we’re all in this together and we absolutely will make it right, ’cause you are bloody marvellous. You are.”
She said she recorded the clip when she got home on Wednesday night.
It comes as celebrities including Alan Carr and Dame Kelly Holmes expressed their “respect” for Vorderman.
In the comments section of her original Instagram post announcing her departure, comedian Carr wrote “big respect Carol” while Olympian Dame Kelly wrote: “You do you Carol! Much respect for sticking up for who you are and not allowing corporations to silence you!”
Elsewhere, presenter Cat Deeley told Vorderman “you are bloody brilliant” while comedian Joe Lycett joked: “I have informed the BBC I am available to replace you.”
In her statement, Vorderman explained she had decided to continue with her criticisms of the UK government following the implementation of the new guidelines.
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She said: “Since those non-negotiable changes to my radio contract were made, I’ve ultimately found that I’m not prepared to lose my voice on social media, change who I am, or lose the ability to express the strong beliefs I hold about the political turmoil this country finds itself in.”
She added: “I’m sad to have to leave the wonderful friends I’ve made at Radio Wales.
“I wish them, and all of our listeners, all the love in the world. We laughed a lot, and we will miss each other dearly.”
Vorderman has presented the Saturday morning show on BBC Wales for the last five years.
She has been vocal in her criticism of the government and engaged in arguments on X, formerly Twitter, with Tory MPs.
Under the BBC’s social media guidelines, presenters on flagship programmes have been banned from making attacks on political parties.
The guidelines were introduced following a row after Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker was taken off the air by the BBC after criticising the government’s asylum policy on social media.
Ms Vorderman previously told the Sky News Daily podcast she would “wait and see” what the guidelines were and “make a decision based on that”.
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“I’ve had all sorts of experiences in broadcasting, some of them not so good,” she said.
“The vast majority of them are wonderful. So I’m a very lucky woman. Life is what life is.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “Carol has been a presenter on BBC Radio Wales since 2018. We’d like to thank her for her work and contribution to the station over the past five years.”
