Kirsty Wark Reflects on Iconic Interviews, BBC Dynamics, and TV Drama Preferences After Newsnight Departure

Kirsty Wark Discusses Annoying Margaret Thatcher and the Prince Andrew Interview

After nearly 50 years with the BBC, Kirsty Wark has left the company and shared with Sky News her experiences of the famous Prince Andrew interview, her habit of cutting off Margaret Thatcher, and a former BBC coworker who didn't work well with others.

Arts and entertainment correspondent Bethany Minelle

Friday, September 27, 2024, 12:

Kirsty Wark expressed a preference for A Very British Scandal over Scoop, noting that although the former was an "enthralling drama," it didn't adequately represent "enough individuals."

Kirsty Wark, who was a fixture at the BBC for almost half a century, anchored Newsnight from 1993 until 2024. She retired this summer, having led the program for over 30 years.

During her appearance at the fourth live event of Sky News' Electoral Dysfunction series in Glasgow, the BAFTA-winning journalist revealed some unflattering details about a former BBC colleague, describing them as less than ideal in terms of teamwork.

Starting with a particularly infamous BBC interview, Wark noted that Emily Maitlis was selected to conduct the interview with Prince Andrew because she was the lead presenter of Newsnight then.

The broadcast, which took place in November 2019, was quickly labeled as "disastrous" and "excruciating" for the royal after he faced inquiries regarding his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

When Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby inquired about her preference between the two recent television adaptations of the interview, "Scoop" and "A Very Royal Scandal," Wark expressed her favoritism towards "A Very British Scandal."

Launched in early October, Maitlis served as an executive producer for the Prime Video miniseries.

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Wark commented, "Both are dramatic narratives, and neither represents an absolute truth; it's not just about factual accuracy.

"In the first instance, priority is given to certain individuals, whereas in the second instance, the focus shifts to different individuals. However, the concept of a collective effort is significantly more pronounced in the second, the Royal Scandal, compared to the first.

"The initial production was a lively drama, yet it seems that not enough individuals were properly included."

The Netflix feature "Scoop" delved into the narrative through the perspective of Newsnight's guest coordinator, Sam McAlister, who successfully convinced Prince Andrew to participate in the program.

Wark mentioned that Prince Andrew believed he had conducted a very successful interview and afterward, he proposed giving Maitlis a tour of Buckingham Palace.

'It was my idea to recommend the train journeys for him!'

Discussing her past interviews, Wark shared with Rigby and her co-hosts, Labour's Harriet Harman and Conservative's Ruth Davidson, instances where she had clashed with two prominent figures.

She had a sit-down conversation with ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the peak of the poll tax disturbances.

Wark noted her exceptional calmness, explaining she had prepared thoroughly: "Only my husband was aware of my pregnancy. I decided not to let [Mrs. Thatcher] rattle me. I aimed to stay composed and in control."

Following the interview, which Wark mentioned was almost called off just before it began, Thatcher remarked to Wark that she had been "interrupted more than ever before." In response, Wark considered it a challenge, thinking to herself, "game on."

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Reflecting on another interview subject who reacted negatively to her probing style, Wark recounted an unsuccessful interview with ex-Conservative MP Michael Portillo.

Wark mentioned that the former chief secretary to the Treasury had annoyed her when he told her to "stop hectoring me."

She confessed to conducting an interview with him shortly after coming back to her job, which she acknowledged was too soon after the passing of her father and godmother.

Wark quipped, "The only complaint about broadcasting that was ever confirmed involved Michael Portillo. It's quite ridiculous because I was the one who recommended them for the railway journeys!"

The ex-Tory MP has hosted 15 seasons of Great British Railway Journeys on BBC Two across a span of 15 years.

A past coworker from the BBC who didn't collaborate well with others

She disclosed that when her ex-BBC coworker Robert Peston joined Newsnight for several shifts, he declined to adhere to the program’s norm of collective idea generation and wearing an earpiece to allow for collaborative input during interviews.

Having allowed Peston to follow her closely the previous day, she arrived at work only to find out that he was conducting his own interview independently. She remarked sarcastically that he was "a real team player." Peston currently serves as the political editor for ITV News.

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In related television updates, Wark revealed that she has frequently been invited to participate in Strictly Come Dancing, but has consistently declined due to her professional obligations and health issues.

She did not disclose whether she might consider it going forward.

An enthusiastic chef, Wark has participated in celebrity editions of MasterChef and The Great British Bake Off.

Couldn't catch Thursday's broadcast? No problem, the complete show will be available here on Friday morning.

You can revisit our earlier three episodes, which were taped in London, Salford, and Liverpool.

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