BBC Question Time host Fiona Bruce’s recent comments on domestic violence have come under fire, and she has now announced her resignation as an ambassador for the charity Refuge. In a statement, Bruce expressed her sadness at having to leave her role, but insisted her words had been mischaracterised in a social media storm.

The controversy arose when Bruce interjected on last week’s programme to defend Stanley Johnson, the father of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, against accusations of domestic abuse. Johnson was called a “wife-beater” during the show after his ex-wife, the late artist Charlotte Wahl, claimed in Boris Johnson’s biographer Tom Bower’s book that he had “hit me many times, over many years.” Bruce responded by pointing out that Johnson had not commented publicly on the allegations and that friends of his had said it was a one-off incident.

However, Bruce’s comments were criticised by the charity Women’s Aid, who argued that domestic abuse is rarely a one-off event and that even if it were, it should still never be minimised. Chief executive Farah Nazeer spoke out against Bruce’s remarks, underlining the need for people to understand the complexities of domestic abuse and the lasting effects that even a single incident can have on the victim.