View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
October 31, 2008

Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis shocks BBC director-general with “haunted pussy”

By Axegrinder

Thursday night’s edition of Newsnight is sure to go down as an all-time classic, thanks to the wonderful presenter Emily Maitlis telling BBC director-general Mark Thompson: ‘I’m now so old my pussy is haunted.”

Just in case the DG was too shocked to take it in fully, Maitlis helpfully repeated the line.

For those who missed Newsnight, it should be pointed out that Maitlis was quoting comic Frankie Boyle, a panellist from Wednesday night’s Mock The Week programme, who, in a bit of surreal humour, attributed the line to The Queen.

Maitlis was pressing Thompson to give an opinion – in the wake of the Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross affair – if it was acceptable for the BBC to broadcast a comedian putting the words ‘I’m now so old my pussy is haunted’into the mouth of the sovereign.

Axegrinder suspects Maitlis’s remarkable performance will soon be a huge hit on YouTube.

But until then, we recommend you enjoy the interview on BBC iPlayer or via the link on the Newsnight web page.

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

Maitlis’s interview with Thompson begins 10 minutes into the programme. She delivers her killer question after 17 minutes and 5 seconds.

To see Frankie Boyle utter the ‘haunted pussy’gag, skip to 27 minutes and 58 seconds of Mock the Week.

 

Topics in this article :

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