Theresa May has agreed to take part in a fortnightly question-and-answer session on Sky News – on the condition that all the questions are asked by children.
The prime minister signed up to be a regular feature on FYI, a new weekly children’s news programme that will be broadcast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, starting from next week.
As part of her appearances, May will answer two questions from children, with the interview pre-recorded in Downing Street. The first question was posed by an eight-year-old boy called Zak, who asked the prime minister whether she gets along with the US president, Donald Trump.
The prime minister’s decision to take part in the show is a coup for Sky Kids, which commissioned the programme. However, it could anger some at Sky News, who have become frustrated with Downing Street’s perceived reluctance to allow May to be interviewed by the channel, compared with other broadcasters.
She has not appeared on Sky News’s flagship Sophy Ridge on Sunday political interview programme since its first episode in January 2017, while earlier this year Sky News’s director of news gathering, Jonathan Levy, was among those who signed a public letter complaining about the limited access given to some broadcasters during the Conservative party conference.
Taking part in the programme could have political benefits. Although children cannot vote, it is another opportunity for politicians to reach the parents who are watching alongside their kids.
In alternate weeks, the children will question a different politician, with the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, currently lined up to take part.
The political interview is one part of the 15-minute show, which will be presented by children and filmed at Sky’s studios in west London before being aired at 10.30am on Saturdays and 11.30am on Sundays.
Other segments include children providing commentary on a story currently in the news, a section called I Don’t Get It, which takes an in-depth look at an issue, and a roundup of viral videos.
A feature called Our World will involve children reporting from overseas, although Sky confirmed this will only feature “safe environments” and no child reporters would be dispatched to war zones.
Lucy Murphy, the head of Sky Kids, said: “I hope FYI doesn’t just answer kids’ questions, but that it gets them asking more. Kids make up 20% of the population but they are 100% of the future, so it’s vital we invest in them and give them a voice.”
FYI is being produced by a Fresh Start Media, an offshoot of the company behind the children’s newspaper First News, and broadcasts will be made available to schools through the First News website, in addition to being available on Sky’s catchup services.
