November 23, 2024

Liz Truss cancels BBC One interview with Nick Robinson a week before Conservative leader is announced

Nick Robinson #NickRobinson

Liz Truss cancelled her BBC One interview (Picture: Getty Images)

Liz Truss has cancelled her BBC One interview with Nick Robinson, the broadcaster has said.

The candidate for the Conservative leadership was due to be interviewed by Nick in a programme airing on Tuesday evening, but on Monday, the BBC shared a statement saying that Ms Truss had cancelled.

It said: ‘Liz Truss has cancelled her BBC One interview with Nick Robinson which was due to air this Tuesday evening (30th August) at 7pm. Ms Truss’ team say she can no longer spare the time to appear on “Our Next Prime Minister”.’

The statement added: ‘The other candidate for the Conservative leadership, Rishi Sunak, was interviewed by Nick on 10th August. We regret that it has not been possible to do an in depth interview with both candidates despite having reached agreement to do so.’

Nick said: ‘Was pleased to secure an in-depth interview with @trussliz on BBC1. I am disappointed & frustrated it’s been cancelled.’

Ms Truss has not addressed the cancellation.

Nick Robinson was due to interview Ms Truss (Picture: David Levenson/Getty Images)

Many have expressed disappointment with the decision, including Piers Morgan, who likened Ms Truss to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

‘This is pathetic by @trussliz – I fear she’s from the Boris ‘where’s the fridge?’ Johnson school of avoiding proper accountability. Doesn’t augur well if she wins..’ he said.

The winner of the leadership race will be announced on September 5.

Ms Truss previously faced backlash from broadcaster Dan Walker over her comments on the BBC.

Ms Truss and fellow leadership hopeful Mr Sunak have been up and down the UK trying to get Conservative Party members onside and took part in a hustings event run by GB News recently.

However, at one point, Ms Truss, who has already been critical of the media on her campaign run, decided to jibe at the BBC after host Alistair Stewart made a minor mishap. 

After referencing a report the PM-hopeful wrote ‘in 2019’, which Ms Truss noted was, in fact, written in 2009, she laughed and told Stewart: ‘I always thought you had high-quality standards at GB News.’

He insisted: ‘We do, we do,’ before she replied: ‘It’s not the BBC, you actually get your facts right.’

More: BBC

The audience quickly laughed at the remark, which Stewart insisted was ‘not rehearsed’.

Former BBC favourite Walker reacted to the comments made by Ms Truss and labelled it ‘an incredibly dangerous slur’ on his Twitter account.

He added: ‘Dangerous for @trussliz, for every viewer… for all of us.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted Liz Truss for comment.

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