Being interviewed by John Humphrys

By Brian Clegg

In recent edition of the Red Box podcast, the guests were asked which political interviewer they would like to grill them. Some ummed and ahhed for a while: I’m not involved with politics, but wouldn’t have to hesitate a moment as it’s already happened. I was interviewed a while ago by one of the UK’s top political interviewers (now retired), John Humphrys on the Today programme.

You can hear the interview here.

I was in a different BBC studio from the interviewer when the interview took place, so I couldn’t see who was about to interview me, and they didn’t tell me in advance which of the Today programme presenters was going to speak to me. I must admit, if I’d known in advance it was going to be Humphrys I would probably have been more nervous than I actually was. But I’m so glad I did have that opportunity. 

Nearly ten years ago I was on Christmas University Challenge, so have also been questioned by another of the UK’s now retired political interview attack dogs, Jeremy Paxman – but that was a very different, more light-hearted situation. In his usual mode on the Today programme, Humphrys could casually tear a politician apart – but despite any concerns I might have had when I heard him introducing the conversation, I had a far easier time of it.

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Image from Wikipedia by ChristheDude shared under Creative Commons 3.0 licence.

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Now Appearing is the blog of science writer Brian Clegg (www.brianclegg.net), author of Inflight Science, Before the Big Bang and The God Effect.