View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
December 2, 2019updated 30 Sep 2022 8:40am

BBC’s Andrew Neil interview with Boris Johnson still not confirmed with ten days until election

By Freddy Mayhew

The BBC is still yet to set a date for Boris Johnson to face questions from heavyweight political interviewer Andrew Neil with only ten days left until the United Kingdom goes to the polls.

The corporation is continuing to urge the Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader to take part in a half-hour, one-on-one interview with Neil, but appears to be powerless to force the matter.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon have already sat down with Neil, who is set to grill Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson on Wednesday and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on Thursday.

Johnson did an interview with Andrew Marr on Sunday (pictured) following Friday’s terror attack on London Bridge.

The programme reached an audience of 1.8m adults on average, peaking to 1.9m during the encounter with Johnson.

Some 3m people watched Neil’s interview with Corbyn last week, according to Rob Burley who edits the BBC’s live political programmes.

Asked by Marr why he was avoiding being interviewed by Neil, Johnson said: “Because I think we’ve got a perfectly brilliant Andrew interviewing here.” Marr replied that Neil’s 7pm slot reaches a different audience.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Pushed again on whether he would commit to an interview with Neil, Johnson replied: “I’m perfectly happy to be interviewed by any interviewer called Andrew from the BBC.”

He added: “By the way I have done interviews with – I did a two-hour long phone-in, I’ve done TV debates. No previous prime minister has done on-on-one TV debates.”

Johnson has so far appeared on ITV’s head-to-head debate with Corbyn, as well as the BBC’s Question Time special with all other major party leaders. He has twice snubbed leaders’ debates on Channel 4, however.

The BBC said in a statement on Saturday: “As the national public service broadcaster, the BBC’s first priority must be its audience.

“In the wake of a major terrorist incident, we believe it is now in the public interest that the Prime Minister should be interviewed on our flagship Sunday political programme.

“All parties’ election policy proposals must – and will – face detailed scrutiny from us and we continue to urge Boris Johnson to take part in the prime-time Andrew Neil interview as other leaders have done.”

The Conservative Party has yet to reply to Press Gazette on whether Johnson will be interviewed by Neil.

Press Gazette understands an Andrew Neil interview that had been scheduled in TV listings for this evening, since changed, is one of a number of extra slots made available in case of scheduling issues with politicians and was not specifically for Johnson.

Polling day is on 12 December.

Picture: BBC/iPlayer

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network