(AFP File Photo)
Host of Al-Bernameg, a political satirical programme, Bassem Youssef announced Monday that his show will be taken off air.
Youssef’s show was previously suspended by privately-owned Saudi satellite channel MBC Masr ahead of presidential elections in order to not “influence voters”. The programme was expected to return this past Friday, but did not air.
In a press conference at the programme’s studios on Monday afternoon, Youssef said that MBC Masr had struggled to keep his show on the air, adding that it would be not possible for Al-Bernameg to air on a different channel due to the current “media atmosphere”.
This is the second time Youssef’s show had been taken off the air this year, after it was at the centre of much controversy. Originally airing on private Egyptian satellite channel CBC, Youssef’s show was suspended on 2 November, just minutes before the second episode of the third season was set to air. After the termination of the contract with CBC, El-Bernameg was picked up by MBC Misr and began airing on 7 February.
