Boris Johnson again refused to commit to a primetime TV grilling with the BBC's most feared interviewer.
The Prime Minister has insisted he's "happy" to be grilled by the BBC's veteran interviewer Andrew Neil - despite failing to nail down a time for such an encounter.
The corporation was accused of “dancing to the Prime Minister's tune” after allowing him onto The Andrew Marr Show without a guarantee he would take part in an Andrew Neil interview.
The other main party leaders have put themselves forward for a potential roasting with Scotsman Mr Neil with Jeremy Corbyn being grilled on his handling of anti-Semitism in Labour, Brexit policy and promises on the WASPI women.
Today Mr Johnson said he was "perfectly happy to be interviewed by any interviewer called Andrew from the BBC" but he failed to give a firm commitment.
He tried to suck up to Mr Marr saying: "because I think we've got a perfectly brilliant Andrew interviewing here."
He added: "He couldn't have a more brilliant agent in you", after Mr Marr pressed him.
The Prime Minister insisted he was not avoiding scrutiny insisting he had taken part in many interviews during the campaign, adding that "no previous prime minister has done one-on-one TV debates".
The BBC's decision to schedule the interview with Marr when the Prime Minister has still not committed to sitting down with Neil - who Jeremy Corbyn faced last week - was branded "wrong" and "shameful".
Jeremy Corbyn faced heavy questioning from Mr Neil on Tuesday - which saw the Labour leader criticised for failing to apologise for anti-Semitism in his party and the costings of the party's plans.
It was only after, the BBC admitted that it had yet to confirm a date with Mr Johnson it faced accusations of bias online.
It had been reported that the BBC had told Mr Johnson he would not be allowed to face Marr on Sunday unless he also agreed to be interviewed by Neil too.
But in a statement, the corporation said: "As the national public service broadcaster, the BBC's first priority must be its audience.
"In the wake of a major terrorist incident, we believe it is now in the public interest that the Prime Minister should be interviewed on our flagship Sunday political programme.
"All parties' election policy proposals must - and will - face detailed scrutiny from us and we continue to urge Boris Johnson to take part in the prime-time Andrew Neil interview as other leaders have done."
Labour candidates have accused the BBC of "abject surrender" in allowing the Prime Minister to be interviewed by Marr without agreeing to an interview with Neil.
Ben Bradshaw, a former Labour culture secretary and candidate in Exeter, tweeted: "This is a shameful & abject surrender by the BBC management, which will leave professional BBC journalists absolutely horrified and in despair with an organisation where morale is already at rock bottom."
In a tweet, Ilford North candidate Wes Streeting said: "I love the BBC and hate the regular attacks on its impartiality and the professionalism of its journalists, particularly when it has some of the very best in the business. But this decision is wrong. The BBC have been played by the Tory Leader and shouldn't dance to his tune."
