Good Morning Britain viewers have criticised Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley for repeatedly interrupting Prime Minister Andy Burnham during his first live television interview since taking office.
The ITV hosts spoke with Burnham live on the programme on October 26, covering topics including general elections, rejoining the EU, homelessness and the upcoming budget. During the discussion, many viewers felt the presenters were cutting the Prime Minister off while he answered questions and repeatedly asking him the same thing.
Viewers react on social media
On X, one person wrote: "That interview was appalling. Both Presenters spent a large % of it simply interrupting Andy Burnham. Bad manners." Another said: "Stop bl**dy interrupting him, Richard and Susanna! Appalling interview etiquette."
A further comment read: "How many times do you want him to answer the same question?? #gmb", while another viewer posted: "This is a disastrous interview. Richard and Susanna, if you want Andy Burnham to answer your questions, stop bl**dy interrupting him!"
Some praise the Prime Minister
Others, however, defended the exchange. One person commented: "Brilliant performance from the Prime Minister, reassuring and competent. We're finally getting somewhere." Another added: "Great interview, PM well done @andyburnham!@GMB"
During the interview, Reid asked whether Burnham was "softening us all up for a general election". He replied: "No, I've ruled that out. I don't..." Reid then pressed whether he had "absolutely" ruled it out, which the Prime Minister confirmed.
Burnham added: "I just don't think people want another backwards-looking squabble; they want me to get on with the job and make life better for people, which is what I'm trying to do."
EU and Brexit discussion
Reid then noted that despite his reluctance to revisit past disputes, he had recently raised the prospect of rejoining the EU. Burnham responded: "We have a decade of experience now looking back at Brexit. I don't think it has played out as people said it would at the time."
He went on: "We got a harder Brexit than what was proposed in the referendum campaign. It's weakened our economy, it's also weakened our control of immigration, and that might surprise people because that was the big issue."
He made clear he was not advocating for rejoining during this Parliament, insisting they were "way away from that" at present. He told Reid and Madeley: "What I am saying is we need to take some practical steps to make the arrangement work better than the arrangement we've got right now."
Reid pointed out that 65 per cent of his own constituents voted to leave the EU, telling him he had promised them when he stood as their MP that he would not reopen the argument. She questioned whether he had let them down or they had made the wrong choice.
Burnham replied: "I said we wouldn't rerun the referendum and that's not what I'm doing. The British public, the people of Makerfield, will be the bosses here; they will decide what happens in relation to Brexit."
Reid interrupted once more, insisting they had already made their decision through their vote in 2016, while Madeley suggested Burnham was "testing the mood" to gauge public and media response on rejoining the EU. Burnham responded: "I was asked a question, Richard, so I didn't fly that kite. I was asked and I try to give honest answers. I don't think things have worked out as people said they would at the time."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV from 6am.
