THE BBC has announced key changes to an upcoming General Election debate, and confirmed that Keir Starmer has accepted an invitation for an in-depth leader’s interview.
On Tuesday, the BBC confirmed that the Labour leader Starmer would take part in a Panorama interview with Nick Robinson.
Starmer had not agreed to do an interview when the first six – with Sunak, Ed Davey, John Swinney, Nigel Farage, Rhun ap Iorwerth, and Adrian Ramsay – were confirmed.
Farage’s was due to be shown on Tuesday night, but was cancelled at the last minute and is due to be rescheduled.
Starmer has been scheduled to speak to Robinson at 7.30pm on Friday, June 14 – finishing moments before the opening game of the Euros, Scotland vs Germany, kicks off at 8pm.
Elsewhere, the BBC said on Tuesday that the General Election debate between the Tory and Labour leaders had been extended and would have a different host.
The debate will be shown on Wednesday, June 26 from 8.15pm until 9.30pm – 15 minutes longer than originally scheduled.
And the BBC said journalist Sophie Raworth had “asked to step down as the host of the debate after fracturing her ankle”, so she has been replaced.
News presenter Mishal Husain (below) will chair the debate between the two leaders in Raworth’s place.
Raworth said: "The injury I picked up at the London marathon has now been diagnosed as a fracture in my ankle. I was only told this last week during the D-Day commemorations. I’m now on crutches, in a boot and non-weight-bearing for some time.
"Mishal Husain is a fantastic presenter and will be brilliant at moderating what is a really important debate for both the two leaders and the BBC. I’m delighted she is doing it."
Husain said: "Sophie has been remarkable in the pace and the way she’s worked in recent weeks, despite her injury.
"I can’t see myself ever stepping into her running shoes but she can count on me for this, as the two prime ministerial candidates face each other for their last television encounter."
Jonathan Munro, the deputy chief executive of BBC News, said: "These debates are a key moment in the campaign – giving voters the chance to ask questions of their future prime minister.
"Mishal did an outstanding job on Friday – the BBC is very fortunate to have such a wealth of talent to draw upon. We’re wishing Sophie a speedy recovery; it seems it’s not only football managers who need to worry about foot injuries!"
