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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Hamish Morrison

BBC Newsnight chaos as peer's phone WON'T stop ringing

A NEWSNIGHT guest was left flapping after his phone interrupted the programme four times.

Lord Baker of Dorking was on the news analysis show on Tuesday night to discuss Nadhim Zahawi – who was sacked after it was revealed he had been fined by HMRC – and Boris Johnson’s relationship with the chairman of the BBC.

But his phone would not stop ringing and the peer appeared unable to put the device on silent.

While discussing Zahawi’s tax affairs, Lord Baker’s phone began to ring, with host Victoria Derbyshire joking the Prime Minister was attempting to call the Tory peer.

After she offered to help, Lord Baker handed Derbyshire the phone and asked: “Would you turn it off?”

She joked: “You really are in demand.”

The phone later rang again, with Lord Baker handing the BBC presenter his device another time.

While she was holding it, another call came through and Lord Baker said: “They’re really trying to get through to me.”

Derbyshire replied: “Someone is telling you to shush.”

The muffled sound of another call could be heard as Lord Baker discussed the reputational damage caused by BBC chairman Richard Sharp’s links to Johnson.

The former Tory cabinet minister was handed back his phone at the end of the segment.

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