BBC cancels Boris Johnson interview after accidental leak
3 October 2024 18:01
An electronic file Boris Johnson should not have seen was mistakenly sent to him by journalist Laura Kuenssberg, who was preparing for an interview with the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This error led the BBC to cancel the interview scheduled for Thursday evening.
The interview with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which was supposed to air on Thursday evening, was intended to discuss the politician's book Unleashed, among other topics. Unleashed is set to arrive in British bookstores on 10 October.
However, the broadcast conversation between Johnson and interviewer Laura Kuenssberg will no longer occur. The journalist described the incident as an "embarrassing and disappointing" mistake.
No Boris Johnson interview on BBC due to a mistake
The journalist inadvertently sent her notes to the politician. These notes were part of her preparation for the interview and contained questions she planned to ask the former Prime Minister.
Kuenssberg reported the mistake on social media. "While prepping to interview Boris Johnson tomorrow, by mistake, I sent our briefing notes to him in a message meant for my team," Laura Kuenssberg wrote on platform X.
The host of the station's flagship morning news programme added that the interview could not proceed under these circumstances. "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 wrote.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that this minor incident makes the interview "untenable." He also noted that the station and Boris Johnson's team agreed to cancel it.
The interview was intended to promote the former Prime Minister's new book. "Unleashed," although appearing in bookstores next week, is already generating discussion. The media are quoting what the politician wrote about the late Queen Elizabeth II's illness and discussing his anticipated reflections on his government's handling of the COVID pandemic and the gatherings at Downing Street during that period.
