TV presenter reveals why he quit hit show

spent 25 years listening to people talk b******* every night – that was enough.”

Paxman frequently appeared exasperated on Newsnight as he t r ied to pin down slipper y politicians, famously asking Tory home ssecretary Michael Howard the samsame question a dozen times.

He jojoined the show in 1989 and becombecome known for his direct grilling of politicians and celebrities.

He cocontinued his role as quiz master of University Challenge, earning about £ 800,000 a year for his worwork on the two programmes, before qquitting Newsnight.

DespDespite a career spanning more than fofour decades at the BBC, PaxmaPaxman has been well known for openly criticising his employer.

In OcOctober 2013, he said he had “seriouseriously considered” quitting NewsnNewsnight after the Jimmy Savile and Lord McAlpine scandals dentdented the reputation of the programme. He also angered bosses in 2014 when he said: “There’s a pile of stuff on the BBC I can’t stand.

“My idea of hell is going down in one of the lifts in that ghastly new building (New Broadcasting House) in a lift which has Radio 1Xtra plumbed into it.”

Paxman came under fire in 2005 when, following George Galloway’s victory over Labour’s Oona King, he asked him: “Are you proud of having got rid of one of the very few black women in parliament?”

The host, who writes a column for over- 50s magazine Saga, turns 70 next year. But he admits he has “no idea what to do”.

Speaking at the gala of West End show The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ The Musical last week, he said: “There are lots of things I want to do but I can’t think what they are off the top of my head.

“It is rather like Boris Johnson being asked what his favourite hobby was and him saying he made toy buses. It’s completely ridiculous.”