Comic Relief chief Eric Salama quits over charity's Gaza ceasefire stance which he thought was 'profoundly wrong' and that he 'could not live with'

Comic Relief was thrown into chaos last night after its boss Eric Salama quit over the charity's stance on Gaza.

Mr Salama said the charity's management took 'an approach to an issue which I thought was profoundly wrong and which I could not live with'.

Comic Relief, which was co-founded by comedian and actor Lenny Henry, said his resignation was a result of 'a stance being taken on a public issue without any prior consultation with the board or Eric as chair'.

It is understood he disagreed with Comic Relief's decision to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Hamas and Israel, the Telegraph reports.

In came after Comic Relief joined hundreds of other organisations in signing a petition in October calling for an immediate end to the fighting - which could spark issues given its partnership with the BBC.

In a statement released on social media, Mr Salama said: 'I admired Richard Curtis and Lenny Henry from afar before I joined and have even more respect and admiration and love for two wonderful human beings now that I've got to know them.

'All of which made last week particularly sad for me, stepping down early from my role and letting some people down in the process.

'But there are times in life when principles really matter more than any job. And last week was one of those times when management took an approach to an issue which I thought was profoundly wrong and which I could not live with.

'Regardless, I wish Comic Relief and its staff and Board every success in the future in pursuing its goal of a just world free from poverty.'

Mr Salama took the helm at the charity in 2020, and wasn't due to leave his role until March.

Announcing its new chair, Tom Shropshire, Comic Relief issued a statement which said: 'Eric decided to step down as Chair of Comic Relief, and has brought forward the date of his departure from the previously announced retirement date of March 2024. 

'Eric's decision relates to a stance being taken on a public issue without any prior consultation with the Board or Eric as Chair.'

The petition at the centre of the row calls for an end to the 'unfathomable death and destruction in the Gaza Strip'. 

'The events of the last week have led us to the precipice of a humanitarian catastrophe and the world can no longer wait to act. It is our collective responsibility.

'On Sunday, October 15th, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator to the Occupied Palestinian Territory appealed to all parties to the conflict, and to Member States with influence, to urgently agree to a humanitarian ceasefire.

'Today, we put our voices together and call on all Heads of State, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground, to prioritize the preservation of human life above all else.'

It concluded: 'The UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and all world leaders with influence must take immediate action to ensure a ceasefire comes into effect. It remains our only option to avert further loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe. Anything less will forever be a stain on our collective conscience.

'Civilians are not bargaining chips. Families need a chance to bury and mourn their dead. The cycle of violence against innocent civilians needs to stop.'

Although the charity did not explicitly state Mr Salama had disagreed over its Gaza stance, a spokesperson told the Telegraph: 'Comic Relief was formed in response to a humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, and we have joined over 700 charities, including many of the most prominent in the UK, in signing a petition about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel that is focused on the need to protect civilians and children on all sides of the conflict.'

Comic Relief has a long-standing partnership with the BBC, which has already faced accusations of bias over its reporting of the conflict, especially over its refusal to call Hamas a terror group.