BBC Director of News James Harding was asked at a Women in Journalism event the following week whether Inverdale ought to be sacked. Harding said: "I think he said the wrong thing ... You have got to own your mistakes and apologise for them. I do think it's important that an apology too is an important thing and if you are talking about sacking someone, have to ask is it proportionate. As a licence fee payer I think it was wrong." In the initial days the BBC received 674 complaints; further complaints were received after the story gained wider coverage.