Egypt’s Media Syndicate announced on Saturday that it has banned controversial TV host Riham Saeed from appearing on TV for violating syndicate rules.
In a statement, the syndicate added that since Saeed, host of the show “Sabaya al-Kheir”, is not a syndicate member she has been banned until she can sort out her legal situation.
The syndicate’s decision comes just a day after the Supreme Council for Media Regulation summoned Saeed for investigation regarding offensive remarks made against overweight people during her show.
On the latest episode of her show on Wednesday, Saeed discussed obese people and decried them as a burden on the state. The remarks sparked outrage, with Saeed accused of seriously insulting overweight people, especially woman.
The union informed the Public Prosecution against Saeed for practicing her profession without a license, a violation of the union’s rules of registration. It also warned the Al-Hayat satellite channel to not air anyone unregistered in the syndicate.
The Al-Hayat network said that it has suspended Saeed’s show, responding to social media fury over her latest episode.
The channel said in a statement that the suspension will continue until the conclusion of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation’s investigation with Saeed, with the program’s future situation to be determined.
Al-Hayat stressed that it respects its audience and is committed to providing them with quality and appropriate content.
Saeed has been suspended multiple times before.
She was suspended for three months in August 2017 for hosting a married woman and her lover on her show, during which guests shared their story of infidelity. Saeed was also suspended for one month in 2016, after she stated that a woman had brought sexual harassment upon herself by wearing “inappropriate clothing.”
Her show had earlier been suspended for one month in 2015 after Saeed ignited public fury for insensitive behavior towards an alleged victim of sexual harassment.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
