Newsnight presenter Matt Chorley has revealed a possible motive behind Rory Stewart's viral death stare, which occurred during an appearance on the BBC programme last Friday. Stewart, 53, host of The Rest Is Politics, became an internet meme after the episode aired.
Stewart was on the panel with former Labour leader Neil Kinnock and New Statesman Political Editor Ailbhe Rea to discuss the week's top stories, including Andy Burnham's upcoming meeting with Trump and royal family drama. The conversation took a turn when the panel discussed AI Security, one of Stewart's specialist subjects.
Chorley's viral moment request
As Stewart shared his fears about AI dominance by China and the US, Chorley asked Rea about government plans to curb their monopoly. Stewart then swivelled his chair and glared at Rea with such intensity that the moment became a viral sensation.
Chorley has now claimed he encouraged the panelists to create a viral moment to mark the first episode of Newsnight in its new 7pm slot. He joked: 'Anything that can be used to go viral, maybe a punchup or whatever, a tiff at the table, if you want to do that, that'd be great.'
Stewart has not confirmed whether his stare was intentional or an accident. Chorley told The Guardian he didn't notice anything unusual during the programme: 'I didn't notice Rory looking particularly intently at anyone during the course of the programme.'
Social media reaction
The clip became inescapable on social media, with users posting jokes and reactions. One user wrote: 'Ladies. Find a man who looks at you like Rory looks at the political editor of the New Statesman.' Another joked: 'When your Dad said it's up to your mum if you can get an ice cream from the van.'
Stewart is accustomed to going viral. During the 2019 Tory Leadership debate, he removed his tie and later told BBC Radio's Today programme: 'Why did I take my tie off? Well, because I felt like taking my tie off. It felt like a good idea at the time.' He was also called out for faking a selfie in Kew Gardens, admitting to the act when confronted.
