Newsnight turned down Prince Andrew interview 3 times before agreeing
Emily Maitlis recalls the 2019 interview in new Channel 4 documentary Andrew: The Problem Prince.
As Channel 4 gets set to air two-part documentary Andrew: The Problem Prince, a deep dive into Prince Andrew's 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, the journalist has explained that the Newsnight team originally turned down the interview three times.
Maitlis claimed that they initially declined the interview because Prince Andrew's team were imposing editorial restrictions to say they couldn't discuss his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Maitlis said: "[At one point] they said yes to everything except Epstein… it was the deputy editor at the time who said I just don't feel comfortable. We're happy to say no to this interview if it's got vetoes around it. And so, we let it go.
"Thank God we dropped the whole thing. Because how stupid would we have looked to have done that whole interview knowing that we couldn't ask about Epstein only to find that he was suddenly front-page news?"
In the interview, Prince Andrew acknowledged that it was wrong of him to visit Epstein's house in 2010 but said that he did not regret their entire friendship. The prince has consistently denied all allegations of misconduct.
The new documentary features interviews with Maitlis, other journalists, friends of Prince Andrew and Virginia Guiffre's lawyers.
Read more:
- BBC reacts to Emily Maitlis criticism of its response to Newsnight remarks
- The Crown's Prince Andrew star opens up on reaction from public
It arrives as Netflix is currently putting together its own dramatisation of the lead-up to the interview, which will be based on the memoir of Newsnight guest booker Sam McAlister.
Called Scoop, the drama is set to star Gillian Anderson as Maitlis, while The Diplomat's Rufus Sewell will portray Prince Andrew and Doctor Who's Billie Piper will play McAlister.
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Earlier this year, SAS Rogue Heroes star Connor Swindells also joined the cast, playing Jae Donnelly, the photographer who captured the infamous photograph of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park.
Andrew: The Problem Prince also follows Channel 4's own Prince Andrew: The Musical, a satirical take on the royal’s life starring Kieran Hodgson, Munya Chawawa and Jenny Bede.
Andrew: The Problem Prince will air on Monday 1st May 2023 at 9pm on Channel 4. Check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.
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