THE BBC HAS cancelled an interview with Boris Johnson after a journalist accidentally sent him a copy of the briefing notes meant for editorial staff.

The former British Prime Minister was due to be interviewed by presenter Laura Kuenssberg this evening during a programme that has been advertised by the BBC for more than two weeks.

Kuenssberg confirmed in a post on X last night that she had sent Johnson the documents and that the interview could no longer go ahead.

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. It’s very frustrating, and there’s no point pretending it’s anything other than…

— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) October 2, 2024

“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,” she said.

“But red faces aside, honesty is the best policy.”

Other broadcasters and journalists have since offered to conduct the interview instead, such as former Sky News presenter Adam Boulton.

Me too https://t.co/c0QdCMma9f

— Adam Boulton (@adamboultonTABB) October 2, 2024

Channel 4 journalists Cathy Newman and Krishnan Guru-Murthy have also invited the former Prime Minister to be interviewed by their team instead.

Former Labour party spin doctor Alastair Campbell and former Conservative Minister Rory Stewart, who now host a popular political podcast, have also invited Johnson to be interviewed today.

“Rarely, [Rory] and I are both in London today and would love to have you as a guest on ‘The Rest is Politics’ Leader,” Campbell said in a tweet.

The PA news agency, however, has said an episode of Eastenders will be aired instead of the interview tonight. On Friday an episode of Garden Rescue will air on BBC One, when the interview was due to be repeated.

A spokesperson for the former Prime Minister has declined to comment.

Johnson was set to be speaking to the BBC’s former political editor about his memoir, set to be published on 10 October. 

According to an extract, published in The Daily Mail in the UK this week, the former Prime Minister has said the British government considered raiding a Dutch warehouse for Covid vaccines in 2021.

Kuenssberg previously conducted an investigation into the Conservative Party over the ‘Partygate’ scandal, where Johnson and members of his staff were caught celebrating in Downing Street while the toughest Covid pandemic restrictions were in place in the UK.

The scandal marked the beginning of the end of Johnson’s time in Government as more controversies broke out of Downing Street and the House of Commons.