Reform Wales figure claims ITV apologised for explosive undercover probe

Emily Price

ITV has defended its journalism after a Reform figure in Wales falsely claimed the broadcaster had apologised for its explosive undercover investigation which exposed racism and misogyny within the party.

Former Reform Senedd election candidate Robert Thomas made the claim during ITV’s current affairs programme Sharp End on Tuesday evening (November 10).

Thomas was invited to join the show’s panel alongside Welsh Conservative Monmouthshire councillor Richard John, Labour Vale of Glamorgan Council leader Lis Burnett and Plaid Cymru Gwynedd Council cabinet member Dewi Jones.

His appearance followed Reform UK’s failure to provide guests for the show’s previous two episodes, which came in the wake of ITV journalists spending a year undercover working for Nigel Farage’s party.

A few minutes into the programme, Cllr Richard John cut across Thomas saying he was surprised to see him there given how Reform UK had boycotted earlier episodes.

“I thought you were boycotting this programme, didn’t you say you weren’t going to appear on ITV until you’ve had an apology? I’m surprised you’re here.” John said.

Thomas responded saying: “That’s old news. We’ve had an apology.”

Nation.Cymru contacted Reform UK to ask if the party had really received an apology from ITV, but the party did not respond.

An ITV spokesperson said: “We have not apologised and stand by our journalism.

“The programme Undercover: A Year In Reform was produced in compliance with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, relevant laws, and its broadcast is in the public interest.”

ITV’s Exposure documentary ‘Undercover: A Year In Reform’ saw undercover reporters join Reform UK candidates and elected councillors across England and Wales during by-election campaigns and local elections in 2025 and 2026.

Hidden cameras caught some of Reform’s candidates, councillors and activists expressing extreme and racist views, including calling Muslims “parasites” and describing Black children as “animals”.

Reform Senedd staffer Martin Roberts featured on the show using highly offensive racist language while canvassing during the Caerphilly by-election campaign in 2025.

When an undercover reporter mentioned he was from Leicester and claimed the city had changed, Roberts replied by asking if there were “lots of d**kies” there.

When the reporter suggested the Conservative Party would not succeed with Kemi Badenoch as leader, Roberts asked, “What, because she’s Black?”

He followed this by recounting racist language he heard growing up, using the slur “c*on”.

Roberts was later selected to stand as a candidate at the Senedd election but after failing to win a seat, was employed as a caseworker for Reform MS Jason O’Connell, although he had since left this role.

ITV’s documentary also showed party leader Farage appearing to protect certain figures rather than taking immediate disciplinary action.

Footage showed Farage resisting calls from advisers to sack Reform mayoral candidate Chris Parry, who had made racist remarks telling Labour MP David Lammy to “go home to the Caribbean”.

Parry had also questioned the loyalty of MPs from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Rather than dismissing Parry, Farage called on him to apologise for the remarks, although he was later suspended.

After discovering that ITV had used undercover journalists to infiltrate the party, Reform UK reported the broadcaster to the police, alleging that the methods used to make the programme may have broken the law.

Zia Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesman, said the party would also launch a legal challenge against the ITV journalists and the broadcaster’s board of directors.