Boris Johnson has been “fired for banging on about his book” during a guest appearance on Channel 4’s coverage of the U.S. election, according to the programme’s co-host, Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
The former UK prime minister was told off for holding up his memoir and plugging it just minutes into the live programme titled “America Decides: U.S. Presidential Election.”
Channel 4 newsreader Guru-Murthy told Johnson to “put it away” and “stop it, enough” as he twice referenced his new book and attempted to hold it up to viewers.
Guru-Murthy described the former prime minister’s actions as “so cheap”.
Johnson retorted: “There’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop me… I’m allowed to plug my book”.
Later during the panel discussion, Johnson said he met with former U.S. president and Republican nominee, Donald Trump, after his attempted assassination in July.
“In case I failed to mention this, I am promoting my book Unleashed, and I had a talk with him about Ukraine,” he said.
When asked about following in Trump’s footsteps regarding a political comeback if he was to win the presidential election, Johnson said: “The answer is obviously contained in Unleashed where you’ll find the full discussion of this subject.”
Co-host Emily Maitlis told him: “We are not all going to read your book, so just tell us, do you want to have a political comeback…. You can’t actually answer a single question.”
Johnson responded: “By the way Emily, I’ve answered all your questions all night. Currently I am blissfully engaged promoting my book Unleashed, available in all good book stores.”
Later in the programme, Johnson was replaced on the Channel 4 panel by Michael Cohen – who served as a lawyer to former president Trump.
Guru-Murphy told viewers: “Boris Johnson has been fired for banging on about his book.”
It was not clear whether Johnson’s exit from the programme had been planned or if he had departed early.
Johnson, 60, has been promoting his new memoir titled Unleashed after it was released last month.
The 784-page book looks back on Johnson’s time as prime minister – from 2019 to 2022 – including Brexit and the Covid pandemic.
Channel 4 newsreader Guru-Murthy is at the helm of the channel’s first overnight U.S. election programme since 1992 alongside former “Newsnight” presenter Maitlis.
Political pundits, and a number of famous faces including Johnson, joined the hosts in the Washington DC studio as the American public decides whether Democratic nominee Kamala Harris or Trump becomes president.
Guests on the programme include Republican supporter an reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner, and Stormy Daniels, the woman at the centre of Trump’s hush money trial following an affair between the two.
A representative for Channel 4 has been contacted for comment.
