Veteran BBC interviewer John Humphrys had the tables turned on him when an MP demanded to know if he had apologised to a colleague over controversial remarks he made regarding the gender pay gap at the BBC.
The awkward moment came in the wake of a leaked off-air conversation Mr Humphrys had with the BBC’s North America editor Jon Sopel regarding complaints by former China editor Carrie Gracie on wage disparities between men and women at the corporation.
At the end of a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview on how to deal with harassment at Westminster, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson said to Mr Humphrys: “While I have got you here John, can I just ask have you apologised to Carrie Gracie for the remarks that you made about her courageous stance on equal pay?”
Mr Humphrys said: “I wrote an email to Carrie Gracie immediately after that exchange, yes I did as a matter of fact, and she replied.
“Quite what this has to do with what we are discussing here I fail to see, but there we are.”
Ms Swinson replied: “It wouldn’t be the first time there had been a question thrown in at the end of an interview.”
Mr Humphrys shot back: “It wouldn’t, but, usually, they are slightly more relevant. This is entirely irrelevant.
“However, there we are, I’ve answered your question.”