Sky News Australia reviews Freya Fires Up after bacon-wearing guest's anti-Islam rant

Sky News Australia said it will conduct an immediate review of its new Sunday program Freya Fires Up after a controversial on-air moment during a live broadcast Sunday night. Brand-new Sky News host Freya Leach faced fallout when a guest wore bacon on his shirt and delivered a wild anti-Islamic tirade that the network said was unacceptable.

The episode featured Ryan Williams, a right-wing influencer described on the show as a social media sensation and conservative political strategist. Williams arrived wearing bacon draped over his shoulders, explaining that the meat served as a form of “protection” from terrorists. He then used the platform to argue that Britain faces an ongoing Islamic threat and claimed that Birmingham, England’s second-largest city, has a Muslim majority. Williams spoke during a segment that was intended to address the fallout from the assassination of a political figure linked to anti-Islamic rhetoric, but he did not provide a response to the question about that event.

A Sky News Australia spokesperson confirmed that an “immediate review” of Leach’s show was initiated in the wake of the remarks. Leach briefly responded to Williams’ tirade by telling viewers that it was up to Muslims to condemn those who hold extremist views, noting that the majority of Muslims do not support such actions and highlighting moderate Muslims she said exist in Australia. She then turned to conservative strategist Joey Mannarino for the next portion of the program before the network moved to address the incident.

Shortly after, Leach apologised on-air for what had been aired. “I’ve just been told we have to apologise for what was just aired, those comments earlier,” she said. Williams’ appearance was removed from the broadcast and from Sky’s social media feeds, though a copy of the segment was later posted by Williams himself on his Instagram page, where it drew thousands of interactions.

The network’s statement said Sky News Australia apologises unreservedly for the deeply offensive comments made by a guest during the live broadcast and noted that the guest should never have appeared. It added that action was taken during the broadcast to cut off the guest and that Leach’s apology to viewers was issued promptly. The spokesperson also stressed that the content was not republished on Sky platforms and that the network has begun an immediate review of the program, including guest booking and vetting procedures, to prevent a recurrence.

Williams has a history of anti-Islamic social media posts and is known for appearing draped in bacon in public appearances. The notes describe him as listing his occupations as cellist and trance producer, with a substantial social-media following including more than 243,000 Instagram followers. He has been involved in online rhetoric that promotes aggressive opposition to Islam and has urged donors to support his cause of “inflicting maximum damage on Islam” and keeping “Europe Christian at all costs.”

Leach, 22, took over the Sunday slot only a little over a month before the incident and also hosts Sky’s Late Debate during the week, signaling Sky News Australia’s push to expand its lineup with younger hosts amid a shifting media landscape.

The episode underscores ongoing challenges in live television journalism around guest vetting and editorial control in volatile interview formats. Sky News Australia has not disclosed a timeline for the completion of the review, but the company said it will assess its booking procedures and editorial processes to prevent similar incidents from arising in the future. The incident also raises questions for other outlets about how best to handle provocative on-air confrontations and the use of controversial figures to anchor discussions on sensitive topics.