Highlights
- Jeremy Vine will no longer host the 2026 Carers UK Awards
- Campaigners criticised his appointment over his coverage of disability and welfare issues
- Carers UK said it wanted the ceremony to remain focused on celebrating carers
Jeremy Vine has been dropped as host of the 2026 Carers UK Awards following a furious backlash over his appointment.
The Channel 5 presenter had been announced as host of the ceremony earlier this week, with the event set to celebrate the contribution of unpaid carers and recognise individuals and organisations supporting them.
But the decision quickly came under fire from campaigners, who questioned why Vine had been chosen to front an event dedicated to carers and people affected by disability.
One campaigner described the appointment as an “awful decision” and accused Vine of attacking disabled people for clicks.
‘We’ve made the decision’
Following the backlash, Carers UK confirmed that Vine would no longer host this year's ceremony.
A spokesperson said: “Following discussions with Jeremy Vine, we've made the decision that he will no longer be hosting this year's Carers UK Awards.”
The organisation added that Vine had been “incredibly supportive” of Carers UK, including through his radio show, but said it had listened to concerns from its community.
“We've agreed that the focus of the evening should stay entirely on celebrating carers and the individuals and organisations that support them, without the risk of other content becoming a distraction,” the spokesperson said.
The reversal came just days after Vine's appointment was announced.
Why did Jeremy Vine face backlash?
Campaigners objected to Vine's role in the context of his broadcasting on welfare, benefits and disability issues.
Mike O’Brien, a campaigner for unpaid carers, criticised Carers UK for selecting Vine and urged the organisation to reconsider.
He claimed Vine had “made clear his hate for disabled people, the vulnerable and unpaid carers” and questioned how he could be chosen to host an awards ceremony celebrating their contribution.
The criticism comes after recent segments on Vine's Channel 5 programme examining controversial welfare policies.
On August 16, the programme ran a discussion titled, “Reform right to call for cuts to disability benefits?”, following Reform UK’s policy announcements.
A Facebook video from August 18 also asked: “Should benefits claimants clean the high street?”
The comments and coverage became part of the wider debate surrounding Vine's suitability for the awards ceremony.
Vine says he is ‘very happy’ to step aside
Vine subsequently addressed the controversy on X, acknowledging that his work covering welfare and benefits had made him a controversial choice.
“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.
Vine said he had initially agreed to host because he wanted to support a friend whose husband had died after a long illness.
He also defended his coverage of unpaid carers, saying he was “very much aware of the vital role” they play and that he believed his programmes had covered them sympathetically.
“I wish @CarersUK well with their excellent event and will cheer the winners from a distance,” he added.
The 2026 Carers UK Awards will now go ahead without Vine as host, with the organisation stressing that its focus should remain on recognising the unpaid carers and support organisations at the heart of the event.
