Sky News pulls out of Boris Johnson interview after no recording allowed

Sky political editor Beth Rigby cancels interview with former PM at Cheltenham Literature Fesitval

Sky News political editor Beth Rigby said she has pulled out of an interview with former prime minister Boris Johnson at the Cheltenham Literature Festival after being told she could not make a recording or transcript of the talk.

Mr Johnson had promised to “reveal what really happened during my time as Mayor, Foreign Secretary and PM” during the interview, as he promotes his new memoir titled Unleashed to be published next week.

It comes after an interview with the BBC was dropped earlier in the week after presenter Laura Kuenssberg mistakenly sent him her briefing notes.

In a post on X, Ms Rigby said: “I was looking forward to interviewing Boris Johnson at Cheltenham but regrettably I can’t go ahead with the event because I am not allowed make an audio recording or transcript of the interview.

“As a journalist in conversation with a former PM at a public event, I can only proceed if we do it on the record. I’m sorry to have to pull out.”

Mr Johnson previously tweeted: “I will be UNLEASHED in Cheltenham on 10 October and in Manchester on 12 October to reveal what really happened during my time as Mayor, Foreign Secretary and PM.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Ms Kuenssberg said she sent Mr Johnson the notes for her interview with him “in a message meant for my team” before cancelling the discussion with the former prime minister.

The BBC’s political editor between 2015 and 2022 said it was “embarrassing and disappointing”, adding the error meant it was “not right for the interview to go ahead”.