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  "path": "/celebrity/ben-leo-sky-news-white-men-astronauts-nasa-astronauts",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-02T12:07:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Alex Armstrong issues blistering response as Labour peer accused of mocking grooming gang inquiry",
    "Christopher Hope delivers brilliant response after Keir Starmer snubs GB News star for TikToker",
    "BBC confirms what the 'new information' is that led to Scott Mills' axe after presenter speaks out",
    "https://t.co/Us7w09D7qY",
    "April 2, 2026",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter",
    "@benleo444"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nBen Leo has criticised Sky News' coverage of the historic Artemis II rocket launch after its science correspondent jibed about the race and gender of the Apollo astronauts who set off decades earlier.\n\nThe Sky News segment had highlighted that all astronauts who travelled to the Moon between 1969 and 1972 were white men.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nScience correspondent Thomas Moore pointed out that the Artemis II crew was more diverse than the crew that flew to space over five decades ago.\n\nHowever, in doing so, he irked a number of viewers at home, who accused Mr Moore of shoehorning that fact into the coverage rather needlessly.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nBen was among Mr Moore's and Sky's critics. He fumed on X: “'Apollo was all white men. This is not.' What is this? Who does this appeal to?\n\n\"They are courageous heroes of humanity. No one, not even them, cares about skin colour or gender. Just put a sock in it.”\n\nBen's post sparked a flood of comments from users pointing out that those involved in space missions were chosen for their expertise, not their appearance.\n\nOne viewer commented: “The main mathematicians who got men into space were black… All four of those astronauts are up there for their expertise, not their colour or gender.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"Self-hating white gullible idiots can’t even see they are doing self-harm,\" another said while a third penned: \"I'm sure you're correct that the crew don't care.\" (sic)\n\nComedian John Cleese also weighed in with a tongue-in-cheek remark. He wrote: “That's what I really dislike about the battle of Agincourt. The total lack of diversity, especially among the archers.”\n\nThe Artemis II mission, which launched from Florida on Wednesday night, marks Nasa's first crewed Moon mission in more than 50 years.\n\nFour astronauts are aboard the Orion spacecraft for a 10-day journey around the Moon and back.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Alex Armstrong issues blistering response as Labour peer accused of mocking grooming gang inquiry\n  * Christopher Hope delivers brilliant response after Keir Starmer snubs GB News star for TikToker\n  * BBC confirms what the 'new information' is that led to Scott Mills' axe after presenter speaks out\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n> “Apollo was all white men. This is not.”\n>\n> What is this? Who does this appeal to? They are courageous heroes of humanity.\n>\n> No one, not even them, cares about skin colour or gender. Just put a sock in it. https://t.co/Us7w09D7qY\n>\n> — Ben Leo (@benleo444) April 2, 2026\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe crew includes mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen, who becomes the first non-American to venture beyond low Earth orbit.\n\nAddressing the nation before lift-off, Nasa chief Jared Isaacman confirmed the crew was “safe, secure and in great spirits.”\n\nMeanwhile, Mr Hansen said: “We’re going for all humanity.\"\n\nThe mission has received widespread attention, with crowds gathering at Cape Canaveral to witness the launch firsthand.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nBen was among them, bringing his son Jude to experience the historic event.\n\nSpeaking after the launch, the People's Channel fan-favourite said: “It was like a rolling stream of thunder which gripped your body.\"\n\nPresident Donald Trump also praised the astronauts’ efforts, writing on Truth Social: “God bless those four unbelievable astronauts. It’s amazing what they will accomplish going further than anyone has before.”\n\nThe Artemis II mission aims to test Orion’s life-support, propulsion, power, and navigation systems in deep space, paving the way for a potential return to the lunar surface later this decade.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIts crew will not land on the Moon but will travel 4,700 miles past the Moon’s far side, setting a new record for human spaceflight distance.\n\nNasa has confirmed that all major milestones so far have been successfully completed, including core stage separation, solar array deployment, and entry into low Earth orbit.\n\nThe space agency continues to provide live updates as Artemis II progresses toward its lunar flyby.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Ben Leo blasts news reporter over ‘all white men’ complaint ahead of Nasa Artemis II launch: 'Put a sock in it!'"
}