You Cannot Be Serious

It’s coming up to Question Time‘s 30th birhday and so the Mail asked some famous guests for their views and thoughts on the longrunning current affirs show.  Along with political heavyweights like Piers Morgan and Kirstie Allsopp (yes, honestly), BoJo was asked for his opinions.

Warning: his response includes the words “John McEnroe” and “voice in my head”.  Never a dull moment….

“My most memorable moment was actually not taking part in the show.  At moments of supreme stress, a little John McEnroe voice comes on in my head, shrieking against the injustices of fate.  Out of good manners I try to bottle him up, but that day he was beside himself.  “You cannot be serious!” he shouted silently, as the man from Midland Mainline gave his latest bulletin on the health of the railway signals ahead.  I was sitting on a train, heading towards Question Time – and time was running out.  There was another wretched apology over the loudspeaker.  “No!” wailed the voice in my head.  “I just do not believe it!”

I was about not to appear on television.  Across the country, thousands of people – well, maybe a few dozen; at any rate, a handful of friends and family – were staying up to watch me on Question Time.  What would they see?  What would the producers put in my place?  A tub of lard, no doubt, or some amusing straw-topped effigy.  They actually broadcast the fact that I had ‘missed the train’.  It became the source of much hilarity, but thankfully I have been asked back many times since, and always enjoyed appearing.”