John Cleese to make BBC complaint about 'deception, dishonesty and tone'

The Monty Python star claimed the interviewer had tried to portray him as “old-fashioned, uncaring and basically harmful” and had not discussed the agreed on topics.

Mr Cleese walked out of the interview after being asked about cancel culture, the pandemic and Dave Chapelle.

John Cleese walks out of BBC interview

“I just did an interview with BBC World Asia. It was to talk about the shows I’m doing in Singapore and Bangkok,” he wrote in a Twitter thread.

(PA)

“Instead, the interviewer, whose name was, I think, Karishma, started by asking me questions about Cancel Culture.

“I replied courteously and in full I explained that if parents were over protective, it did not prepare children well when they entered the real and often not-very-nice world.

“She then asked a disjointed question, clearly trying to portray me as old-fashioned, uncaring and basically harmful.”

Cleese said his response had been “totally ignored” by the interviewer, who had then asked him about the ongoing pandemic and Dave Chapelle.

The media will no doubt report that I 'stormed out'

I didn't

Nor did I lose my temper

But I was depressed that this kind of presenter-ego crap is so prevalent now

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) December 16, 2021

“I removed my headphones, saying. that this was not the interview I had agreed to,” he said.

John Cleese’s BBC complaint

“So I am formally complaining to the BBC about the deception, dishonesty and tone of this interview. Karishma had no interest in a discussion with me.

“She wanted only the role of prosecutor. The BBC needs to train her again.”

He added: “The media will no doubt report that I ‘stormed out.’ I didn’t. Nor did I lose my temper.

“But I was depressed that this kind of presenter-ego crap is so prevalent now.”

Last month the comedian “blacklisted himself” from the Cambridge Union debating society after a historian who impersonated Adolf Hitler during a society debate was banned.