BBC’s Newsnight descended into chaos as a guest’s phone rang four times during a segment, while presenter Victoria Derbyshire attempted to battle on.
Conservative peer Lord Ken Baker appeared on the show last night (Tuesday 30 January) to talk about the current state of the Tory party, but it seems that the 88-year-old is a popular bloke as his phone continuously rang throughout the interview. You can see how it played out here:
While chatting to Derbyshire, Lord Baker said: “My advice to him is…” before the phone’s ringing interrupt him and he started to fumble around looking for his mobile, while joking: “Not to listen to my telephone. Never mind.”
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Even after he had attempted to put the phone away it continued to ring, with Derbyshire asking: “Someone is desperate to get hold of you. Will you turn it off?”
At this point, Derbyshire said the peer was ‘in demand’ and offered to switch the phone to silent for him.
As the conversation turned to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, once again Lord Baker’s phone started to ring again and Derbyshire joked: “Somebody is telling you to shush.”
Lord Baker replied: "I somehow don't think it's the Prime Minister!"
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Before Derbyshire had seemingly had enough and said: "Give me your phone! Oh my God."
Joking once again that ‘someone is telling you to shh’.
After four rather hectic interruptions, Derbyshire eventually brought the interview to a close, saying: “I’m going to leave it there. And there’s your phone… thank you so much for coming in. We appreciate it.”
Viewers found the whole incident pretty funny, with one person taking to Twitter to say: “Ken Baker's irrepressible mobile phone will remain a comic moment of the year, whatever 2023 has yet in store.”
Another wrote: “Lord Baker’s phone going off 4 times on Newsnight is honestly the best TV I’ve ever seen.”
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While someone else posted: “Who the HELL booked Lord Baker on Newsnight?? His phone keeps going off. Absolutely bonkers. Totally hilarious.”
Others were quick to heap praise on Derbyshire for her professionalism.
“Has to be said @vicderbyshire - you are an absolute television pro,” a fan wrote.
“Your Brexit debate on Newsnight last night was impeccably chaired, and tonight you dealt with the ever-ringing phone with humour but without distracting from the interview. Class personified!”
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While someone else tweeted: "I have never enjoyed Newsnight so much. Victoria Derbyshire deserves a medal. And a drink.”
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