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LONDON DAILY ARCHIVE

BBC Cancels Interview with Boris Johnson Due to Briefing Note Mix-up

The BBC cancelled a scheduled interview with Boris Johnson after Laura Kuenssberg accidentally sent her briefing notes to him. She deemed the error too significant to allow the interview to proceed, leading to its cancellation. Other journalists volunteered to conduct the interview, and there are calls for the BBC to reschedule with a different presenter.

04 October 2024 · 18:40 UTC

The BBC has cancelled a major interview with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson planned for Thursday at 7:30 PM on BBC One, due to a mishap by presenter Laura Kuenssberg.

Kuenssberg accidentally sent her briefing notes intended for her team directly to Johnson, leading her to consider the interview 'not right' to proceed.

This interview was to cover topics such as Brexit, COVID-19 management, and the Partygate scandal, marking Johnson's first major public interview since leaving office.

Following the cancellation, other journalists and commentators like Adam Boulton and Alastair Campbell volunteered to take Kuenssberg’s place.

There were also calls from figures like British Future's director, Sunder Katwala, for the BBC to reschedule the interview with a different presenter.

A spokesperson from the BBC described the situation as 'untenable', while Johnson's team has yet to comment.