Boris Johnson has said broadcaster Emily Maitlis was getting “pretty revved up” during their Channel 4 coverage of the US election, before he left the panel unexpectedly.
The former prime minister claimed he was replaced on the panel because he had to catch a flight from Washington to London, after co-host Krishnan Guru-Murthy told viewers he was “fired” for plugging his new memoir throughout the broadcast.
“I had the great privilege of spending US election night with Emily Maitlis as she began her gradual descent into madness,” Mr Johnson said in his column for the Daily Mail.
Boris Johnson 'fired' for promoting his book, elated Trump supporters in Florida and downbeat Dems in Washington - here's how the #C4AmericaDecides has unfolded so far.
— Channel 4 (@Channel4) November 6, 2024
Watch NOW on @channel4 until 6am. #USAElections2024 pic.twitter.com/rHAkHHOuVu
“Unfortunately, I had to leave the Channel 4 studio early – to catch a plane back from Washington to London.
“So I missed the bit where those swing states began turning Republican red, and when Emily apparently started swearing in frustration.
“But I could already see that she was getting pretty revved up.”
During the broadcast, the pair butted heads when Maitlis asked if Mr Johnson was planning to follow in Mr Trump’s footsteps regarding a political comeback, to which he suggested the answer was contained in his new memoir titled Unleashed.
Maitlis told him: “We are not all going to read your book, so just tell us, do you want to have a political comeback… You can’t actually answer a single question.”
The former prime minister responded: “By the way Emily I’ve answered all your questions all night. Currently I am blissfully engaged promoting my book Unleashed, available in all good book stores.”
After being challenged, Mr Johnson claimed: “Here is Channel 4 news, run by Ian Katz, sitting here doing the same old stunt that you tried in 2004 taking a massively skewed approach to a US election.
“I’m not standing for election here.”
The broadcast also saw Stormy Daniels, the woman at the centre of Mr Trump’s hush money trial following an affair, ask Mr Johnson: “Would you leave your daughter alone with Donald Trump?” after he had described their friendship.
“I don’t see why not… yes,” Mr Johnson said at the time, describing his experience of Mr Trump as “courteous” and “polite”.
On reflection in his newspaper column, Mr Johnson wrote: “Having thought about it I should say that I would certainly be a bit worried about leaving the President-elect alone with some of my progeny – but only out of concern for the personal safety of Donald Trump.”
A representative for Maitlis has been contacted for comment.
