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BBC presenters says family is breaking the rule of six at Xmas. “We just are”

Victoria Derbyshire has backtracked after she said she would “break the Rule of Six” to have her family of seven together this Christmas.

The presenter, whose Bafta-winning current affairs show on the BBC was axed in March amid cuts, tweeted to say “it was hypothetical” but added: “However I was totally wrong to say it & I’m sorry.”

She added: “We’ll of course continue to follow whatever rules are in place on Dec 25th”.

The 52-year-old had told Radio Times, when asked what she would do if things have not changed by Christmas: “If the Rule of Six is still in place at Christmas, we’re breaking it to have the rule of seven. We just are.

“Joining me, my husband and our two boys will be my mum, her partner and my husband’s dad.

“It’s fine. We’ll do it knowing what the risks are. We’re not stupid.

“We’re going to be sensible and buy a thermometer gun. But we have to be together at Christmas.

“It feels almost irresponsible saying that, but I don’t think we’re alone in feeling that way.

“We need to see my elderly mum and my husband’s elderly dad. We just do.”

Derbyshire and her husband Mark have two sons, Oliver, 16, and Joe, 13.

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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