Yahoo News John Humphrys' highs and lows as he prepares to exit Today
John Humphrys is expected to bow out from presenting the flagship Radio 4 Today programme this week after more than 32 years. While the veteran’s interrogative interviewing style has been celebrated by some, he has also been criticised for wearing his “prejudices on his sleeve”. We look at the 76-year-old’s most memorable moments.
Highs
It was as Humphrys grilled Tony Blair about allegations a £1m donation to Labour from the F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, had led to motor racing’s exemption from a ban on tobacco sponsorship, that the new prime minister let slip a phrase that would come to haunt him: “I think most people who have dealt with me think I am a pretty straight sort of guy, and I am.”
In 2010 Humphrys pressed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to defend his decision not to return to Sweden for questioning over allegations of sexual assault. “Are you a sexual predator?” said Humphrys. Assange said it was a “ridiculous” suggestion, adding: “Of course not.” Asked how many women he had slept with, he famously answered: “A gentleman does not count.”
The fact that George Entwistle survived only 54 days as the BBC’s director general in 2012 was partly attributed to an interview by Humphrys. Entwistle was forced to admit that he did not know about a Newsnight report that wrongly implicated a Tory peer in other allegations of sexual abuse. “The Guardian yesterday carried a front-page story, which we now know was right, that cast doubt, serious doubt, on the BBC’s Newsnight programme … You didn’t know that actually happened?” said Humphrys. “No, I’m afraid I didn’t,” replied Entwistle.
In 2016, the then chancellor George Osborne was asked to explain how he had missed two of his three key economic targets and was on track to miss the third. “What’s a bloke got to do in your job to get the sack?” asked Humphrys, to Osborne’s apparent surprise.
Lows
After a news bulletin in September 2016, Humphrys told broadcaster Moira Stuart that she was the most “sensationally sexy lady” he knew, and that “the best thing we can do for the next few hours is make mad, passionate love in the basement”. He later said that it had been “a silly wisecrack”.
In 2017, Humphrys sparked a backlash when he suggested “the scales have been tipped a little too far” in favour of victims in sexual assault cases. The same year he was criticised for asking former Tory leader William Hague, following claims of sexual misconduct at Westminster, whether a “witch-hunt” would lead to men being afraid to approach women.
Humphrys was criticised when an off-air conversation with Jon Sopel, the BBC’s North America editor, which made light of the ongoing gender pay debate at the BBC, was made public. “I’ve handed over already more than you fucking earn but I’m still left with more than anybody else,” he said. Humphrys had been revealed to have a salary of £600,000-£649,000 in 2016/17. He subsequently took another salary cut.
Earlier this year, Humphrys and the former Brexit secretary David Davis joked on air following a report about a man assaulting his wife before a tango contest. “I guess this is our last tango,” Davis said. ″It is indeed, but I promise not to punch you if you don’t punch me,” replied Humphrys.
