LAURA Kuenssberg pulling her Boris Johnson interview at the last minute has been described as “staggering” with viewers concerned by her claims she made a “mistake”.
The BBC presenter posted a tweet late on Wednesday evening to say that while prepping for the interview – originally set to air on Thursday night – she sent the former prime minister briefing notes “by mistake” in a message “meant for my team”.
She claimed this led to a “frustrating” decision to call off the interview as it was “not right” for it to go ahead.
But viewers have since become suspicious about her explanation, with some questioning why another presenter could not step in after the apparent blunder.
Author Edwin Hayward reacted to the news tweeting: “Staggering. Just staggering.
“Feels like a mistake too huge to brush under the carpet in a single tweet.”
Former academic and author Dan Evans asked whether there would be further investigation into the cancellation of the interview.
Think most people- & not just lefties- would assume that LK got caught out/slipped up and is now trying to spin it as an innocent mistake. Can’t remember a journalist so openly, embarrassingly, enamoured with a politician in my lifetime. Wonder if there will be an investigation?
— Dan Evans (@dai_alectic) October 3, 2024
He said on Twitter/X: “Think most people- and not just lefties- would assume that LK [Laura Kuenssberg] got caught out/slipped up and is now trying to spin it as an innocent mistake.
“Can’t remember a journalist so openly, embarrassingly, enamoured with a politician in my lifetime. Wonder if there will be an investigation?”
The interview with Kuenssberg was set to be Johnson’s (below) first serious grilling about his time in Downing Street since his departure and coincided with the imminent release of his book, Unleashed.
Nazir Afzal tweeted: “She could, of course, ask some different questions that Boris Johnson hasn’t seen in advance. For a change.”
“How, do you accidentally send an email intended for multiple members of your team, to the sole email address of your intended interviewee…and why didn’t you simply ask @vicderbyshire to step in (with her questions)?,” said Martin Cymbal on Twitter/X.
Other broadcasters and politicians decided to sarcastically offer up their services in Kuenssberg’s place.
Sharing Kuenssberg’s explanation, LBC radio presenter James O’Brien (below) said: “I’ll do it.”
Channel 4’s Cathy Newman also posted: “He’s welcome on Channel 4 news instead!”
Journalist Alice Jones also joked the debacle should be dramatised, as the Prince Andrew Newsnight interview was on streaming platforms.
She said: “Looking forward to the Netflix dramatisation of this, followed by the Amazon Prime one a couple of months later.”
On Wednesday evening, a BBC spokesperson said: "Tomorrow’s interview with Boris Johnson won’t be going ahead.
“As Laura has explained, interview briefing notes meant for colleagues were inadvertently shared with him. This makes an interview tomorrow untenable.
“Under the circumstances, both the BBC and Mr Johnson’s team have agreed this is the best way forward."
