Former Channel 5 presenter withdraws discrimination claims against Dan Walker

A former Channel 5 News presenter has withdrawn her claims against Dan Walker, who was her co-host at the channel, after reaching a "mutual agreement" with the broadcaster, owned by Paramount, and ITN. Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije, who hosted a show with Walker for a year between 2022 and 2023, had filed claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination and harassment on grounds of race and sex, and breach of contract. However her lawyers said she "can confirm that a mutual agreement has been reached with ITN and Channel 5 in respect of the matters subject to tribunal proceedings. Claudia-Liza fully withdraws her allegations relating to Dan Walker and does not intend to repeat or pursue them." Walker said on Friday: "Channel 5 and ITN have reached an agreement with the claimant. I firmly feel that I should never have been pulled into this; however, I was fully prepared to go to tribunal and defend the allegations which were levelled at me." The terms of the case, which was to have been heard at an employment tribunal in London, were not made public. On being told that the parties had reached an agreement, the judge formally concluded the case by dismissing the claim. Walker's employers ITN and Channel 5 agreed to pay Vanderpuije, 47, an undisclosed amount to withdraw her tribunal, with no admission of liability. A former BBC Breakfast and Football Focus presenter, Walker joined Vanderpuije as a co-host on Channel 5 News in 2022. Vanderpuije left Channel 5 News in 2024. Walker said: "I will be forever grateful to those who were kind enough to go on the record with their accounts of working alongside me." A statement from ITN said: "We continue to deny these claims in full, and we are glad this matter has been resolved." A Channel 5 spokesperson said: "We strongly reject the claims that were made and are pleased that this matter has been resolved and that all the allegations relating to Dan Walker have been withdrawn."