Clare McDonnell is 'livid' after Tony Livesey 'sent email slagging her off' - as Radio 5 live fans tear strips off each other on social media

BBC Radio 5 Live’s flagship Drivetime programme has been thrown into ‘chaos’ over the fallout of warring presenters Tony Livesey and Clare McDonnell - with friends saying McDonnell is livid with her co-host.

McDonnell is refusing to work with Livesey after he sent her an email by mistake criticising her presenting ability, forcing BBC bosses to tear up the rota to ensure the pair never share the same studio.

And the feud has also divided listeners, with fans forming into two opposing camps on social media after the pair fell out over the email Livesey, 60, mistakenly addressed to McDonnell, 57, criticising her presenting skills.

Station bosses have reportedly spent extra money hiring ‘stand-in’ presenters as they frantically rearrange rotas to ensure that the pair never appear together.

And Livesey has been effectively demoted as a result of the spat, with an announcement earlier this month that he would be shunted off to the late-night programme instead of the flagship Drivetime show.

The awkward exchange started when Tony Livesey said: They are uber professional, its a privilege to sit alongside them

Clare McDonnell retorted: Itll be good to work alongside professionals, for a change, Im looking forward to it

Social media users have started tearing strips into each other 

But keen-eared listeners were suspicious, with one comparing the spat to the schism between Phil Schofield and Holly Willoughby on ITV’s This Morning.

On October 9, following the announcement of Livesey’s demotion to the late-night slot, @wooshy90 wrote on X: ‘Can someone confirm (or preferably deny) that the reason for these change is because Tony Livesey and Clare McDonnell dont get along anymore. It is noticable they have not presented together since Olympics and last 2 weeks theyve not been on @bbc5live drive together... Thanks!’

A few days later, he added: ‘Kind the whole point of the reshuffle for @bbc5live! Seems like the bosses❤️ Clare McDonnell as shes the one keeping the drive slot! Dare I say shes the Holly Willoughby of 5 Live?��’

On X, one Livesey fan, @seanieboyelkins posted: ‘Just read the news that @tonylivesey is moving to the later slot on @5liveSport … gutted. A brilliant, witty, empathetic broadcaster. Clearly his email to / about @claremcdonnell1 told a few home truths, she Ernie Wise to his Eric Morecambe, just his stooge.’

But others were firmly in McDonnell’s camp. @laikaloo responded: ‘I think what you meant to say was, don’t chat sh*t and send it to the actual person in an email like it’s 2008. His mistake, his fault, instant karma.’

Although both presenters still follow each other on X, formerly Twitter, McDonnell used to tag Livesey frequently in posts, but hasn’t done so since January. There are no such mentions of McDonnell from Livesey at all.

Another listener @ThereSheRides, posted: ‘Clare McDonnell just interviewed a woman about harmful language around obesity then said it was great to hear “well rounded” views. Drive is going to miss Tony Livesey!’

Meanwhile, @charlie_mike_cm posted today: ‘Such a shame @tonylivesey is moving shows on @bbc5live He’s the only reason I listen to Drive’

Another listener dug up a two-year-old post announcing McDonnell joining Drivetime, to which Livesey added: ‘couldn’t be happier’.

Poster @InwizzibleMan added: ‘This aged well!’

Clare was said to livid after receiving the email slagging off her presenting skills, a source told the Sun

Tony has now lost his drivetime show and will return to the 10pm slot, where he began his career 

Despite the obvious rift, side-by-side photos of Livesey and McDonnell still appear on the Drivetime signature page on the BBC website, but in the summaries of each programme below, there is every possible combination of presenters listed… except Livesey and McDonnell together.

And a clip of awkward banter unearthed by MailOnline from June 2023 suggests that even then the duo weren’t always the best of mates in the studio.

It was just before Wimbledon, and breaking with previous years, McDonnell rather than Livesey would be heading for the All-England Club to co-present from there.

Livesey took the opportunity to praise the skills of 5 Live’s tennis broadcasters, saying ‘What’s mega is you’re talking to people like Gigi Salmon, Russell Fuller and David Law and you’re asking them about the fur on the balls and all that kind of thing, then suddenly they go into commentary mode.

‘They are uber professional, it’s a privilege to sit alongside them.’

McDonnell shot back: ‘It’ll be good to work alongside professionals, for a change, I’m looking forward to it,’ and laughed.

Also chuckling, Livesey replied: ‘Everyone’s having a go now -- what’s happening?’

BBC Radio 5 Live hosts Tony Livesey and Clare McDonnell (pictured) have fallen out and refused to work with each other again following a message mishap, according to reports

McDonnell responded: ‘Oh that was an open goal.’

Livesey, looking a little less amused, ended saying: ‘I’m going to say the time dramatically and hope everyone’s forgotten what’s just been said…’

Earlier this month, the BBC announced that Livesey, one-time editor of Sunday Sport, will be shunted back to the late-night show on the station.

A source told The Sun: She [Clare] no longer wants to work with him and that has caused total chaos at the station.

People are being shifted all over the shop and into different slots, which isnt going down well.

Clare is well within her rights to be angry - but its made the atmosphere at 5 Live really frosty.

It comes as for weeks, McDonnell and Livesey have alternated as presenters of the drivetime show.

This week, for instance, McDonnell hosted on Monday and Tuesday alongside Johnny IAnso, whereas Tony took the reins on Wednesday and Thursday with Leila Nathoo.

Livesey, former editor-in-chief of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers, and author of Babes, Booze, Orgies and Aliens: The Inside Story of Sport Newspapers, joined the BBC in 2006. He began on the late-night show on Radio 5 live in 2010.

In December, he will return to where he started his 5 Live career on weeknights 10pm till 1am.

The BBC and the presenters were contacted for comment.