Maitlis tops interruption table
JOHN Humphrys may be famed for his merciless interrogation of politicians, interrupting them in full flow.
But as the BBC veteran prepares to retire as presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme this year, research reveals Emily Maitlis and other female colleagues have overtaken him as the ‘top interrupter’.
Listeners have long complained how Humphrys, 75, interjects without giving interviewees time to respond. Now analysis of his political interviews over the past month has found that he typically interrupts every 51 seconds.
Yet Mishal Husain and Miss Maitlis, who have very different public profiles, interrupt more often.
Miss Maitlis, 48, Newsnight’s lead presenter, has been interrupting her interviewees every 28 seconds and Today host Miss Husain, 46, cut in on average every 46 seconds.
Another Today host, Nick Robinson, only interrupts on average every 65 seconds, the research by The Sunday Times showed.
Andrew Marr clocked 73 seconds on his own show, Sarah Montague 97 seconds on World at One and Evan Davis 173 seconds on Radio 4’s PM programme.
Sarah Sands, editor of the Today programme, said interruptions had to be well- judged. She added: ‘Interruptions because the interviewer is thinking of themselves play badly with audiences.’