Sky News has cancelled a planned leadership debate because No 10 hopeful, Boris Johnson, has declined his invite.
The news channel was expected to host a head-to-head debate between the pair of rivals Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday night.
After two weeks of secret voting by Tory MPs to whittle down the race, Conservative members are soon to vote for their favourite of the two to become the next Party leader and prime minister.
Although Boris hasn't confirmed his attendance, Mr Hunt has agreed, leaving Sky News on standby.
A Sky spokesman said: "We stand ready to host a debate tomorrow evening if both candidates make themselves available.
"Without both candidates, tomorrow's debate will not take place."
The broadcaster will reissue an invitation to both leadership candidates for a live debate on Sky News next Monday, July 1.
In response to the cancellation, a spokesperson for Jeremy Hunt's campaign said: "Whoever wants to be prime minister must face up now to the intense scrutiny that comes with the job, anything less is deeply disrespectful to our members.
"Trying to duck debates and run down the clock until after postal ballots have been returned is just cynical and complacent.
"Boris Johnson must stop trying to slink into No 10 through the back door and come clean about his programme for Government."
The attack on Boris follows a weekend of stories about his personal life, of which he has received mounting pressure to explain.
Last Friday, police were called to Johnson's south London flat that he shares with his girlfriend after neighbours heard screaming.
Read more of today's stories here
Although Mr Hunt hasn't commented on these reports, he has hit out at the frontrunner calling him a 'coward' and told him to 'man up' in an interview with The Times.
He said: "A new prime minister needs the legitimacy of having made his arguments publicly and having them subjected to scrutiny.
"Only then can you walk through the front door of No 10 with your head held high instead of slinking through the back door, which is what Boris appears to want."
He added: "Don't be a coward Boris, man up and show the nation you can cope with the intense scrutiny the most difficult job in the country will involve."
