Sky News political editor Beth Rigby is back on air after being suspended over Kay Burley’s Covid rule-breaching 60th birthday bash
- Beth Rigby broke lockdown rules to attend Kay Burley’s 60th birthday party
- She agreed to take three months off air and said it was ‘wrong’ of her to attend
- The Political Editor returned to Sky News today ahead of Covid press briefing
- Colleague Miss Burley remains off air for six months following internal probe by Sky News
Beth Rigby today slipped back onto TV screens three months after being taken off air for breaking lockdown rules to attend a colleague’s 60th birthday bash.
The Sky News Political Editor appeared from the channel’s Westminster studio ahead of Boris Johnson’s coronavirus press briefing to discuss the return of schools.
It is believed to be her first appearance back on screens since relevations that she was part of a group of Sky News colleagues who partied that night away for Kay Burley’s 60th birthday in early December, in breach of lockdown rules.
Guido Fawkes reported a ‘group of ten’ including Ms Rigby, Inzamam Rashid and Sam Washington celebrated Ms Burley’s 60th at private members’ club the Century Club in Soho.
It is claimed that a ‘smaller group’ then went on to the nearby Soho restaurant Folie as the 11pm curfew came into effect, before four of the original party ended the night at Ms Burley’s home in west London.
Sky News Political Editor Beth Rigby appeared from the channel’s Westminster studio ahead of Boris Johnson’s coronavirus press briefing to discuss the return of schools
Ms Rigby broke lockdown rules to attend a 60th birthday party for Sky anchor Kay Burley
Ms Rigby and presenter Ms Washington were taken off air by Sky along with North of England correspondent Mr Rashid.
Ms Rigby later apologised for flouting Tier 2 restrictions with the 60th party, as a source in the news organisation claiming: ‘She’s no leg to stand on’.
It comes as Miss Burley’s friends are said to be searching for the Sky staff who reportedly told photographers that she was breaking Covid rules.
A number of junior producers hatched a plan after they overheard the newsreader discuss her 60th birthday celebration, it was claimed.
Her disgruntled colleagues revealed details of her night out to the Press via an encrypted email, according to the Mail on Sunday.
‘It was a case of boom, this could really bring her down,’ said a source. ‘They thought, ‘If she gets caught, that would be the end for her’.’
Pictured: The route Kay Burley and three colleagues took across central London as she celebrated her birthday on Saturday, December 5
A photographer, reportedly tipped off by the Sky employees, caught the moment the party of ten spilled out on to the streets of Soho following their dinner.
They also took pictures of Miss Burley and Miss Rigby embracing, which the political editor has since apologised for.
After creating an email account using highly secure service ProtonMail, the plotters reportedly sent an email with the attached pictures to The Sun, using the email address ‘[email protected]’.