British broadcaster backs out of interview with former PM Boris Johnson over recording ban
File photo of former British PM Boris Johnson.
Sky News political editor Beth Rigby pulled out of an interview with former United KingdomPrime Minister Boris Johnson after she was told she could not record the audio or make a transcript of the conversation.
The former prime minister had promised to “reveal what really happened during my time as [London] mayor, foreign secretary and PM” during the conversation next week.
Beth Rigby shared a post on X, saying "I was looking forward to interviewing Boris Johnson at Cheltenham but regrettably, I can’t go ahead with the event because I am not allowed [to] make an audio recording or transcript of the interview."
“As a journalist in conversation with a former PM at a public event, I can only proceed if we do it on the record. I’m sorry to have to pull out," she added.
This comes days after the BBC cancelled Johnson's interview after the presenter Laura Kuenssberg mistakenly sent him her briefing notes.
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Kuenssberg said she had sent Johnson the briefing notes “in a message meant for my team”, adding that the error was "embarrassing and disappointing" and meant it was "not right for the interview to go ahead".
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“It’s very frustrating, and there’s no point pretending it’s anything other than embarrassing and disappointing, as there are plenty of important questions to be asked. But red faces aside, honesty is the best policy. See you on Sunday," Kuenssberg added.
The former UK PM was expected to discuss Brexit, his government’s handling of the COVID-19pandemic, and the Partygate scandal.
Boris Johnson served as the UK prime minister from 2019 to 2022 and has a memoir, Unleashed, being published next week.
(With inputs from agencies)
