Boris Johnson’s prime-time interview with the BBC has been cancelled after briefing notes were shared with him by presenter Laura Kuenssberg “by mistake”.
The former Prime Minister was meant to be interviewed by the former political editor in his first major sit-down since leaving office, to be broadcast on BBC One at 7.30pm on Thursday, with topics expected to include Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and Partygate.
But Kuenssberg, who now hosts the BBC’s flagship Sunday morning political interview show, revealed she mistakenly sent the briefing notes to him “in a message meant for my team”.
It comes after she previously fronted a Panorama investigation into his government – Partygate: Inside the Storm – and presented a BBC Two three-part series, State of Chaos.
She posted on X: “While prepping to interview Boris Johnson tomorrow, by mistake I sent our briefing notes to him in a message meant for my team.
“That obviously means it’s not right for the interview to go ahead.”
The journalist, who held the political editor role from 2015 to 2022, added: “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.”
Johnson’s memoir, titled Unleashed, will be published next week – two years on from his 2019 to 2022 premiership.
An extract of the book, previously serialised in the Daily Mail, saw the ex-PM claim the late Queen Elizabeth had a form of bone cancer in her last years.
Reports also surfaced this summer that Johnson was being considered for a global editor-in-chief role at the Daily Telegraph, amid plans by former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi to buy the newspaper alongside political magazine, the Spectator.
The magazine has since been bought by Sir Paul Marshall, a major investor in GB News.
A spokesperson for Johnson declined to comment to the PA news agency.