If you follow us on LinkedIn or TikTok you may have seen some posts containing examples of infamous interviews and the lessons you can learn from them.
The ones shared so far include Robert Downey Jnr walking out of a Channel 4 interview, the PR manager of S Club 7 storming on set and ending an interview over a question about money and the boss of a water firm providing an example of how not manage a press conference.
Each video includes media training advice and tips from Victoria Smith, one of our expert tutors.
And Rishi Sunak has recently provided some interview examples we are sure to add to that series.
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The Prime Minister seems to have gone into full robotic mode as he struggles to answer questions about the Covid Inquiry and the Government’s reluctance to hand over WhatsApp messages.
And an interview with Sky News on the subject saw him get rinsed on social media.
The clip doesn’t show the first question, but you can safely assume it was about whether the Government would hand over all the material demanded by the inquiry.
“Well, I think it is really important we learn the lessons of covid, and that is why the inquiry was established,” he replied.
“And we want to make sure whatever lessons there are to be learned are learnt, and we will do that in the spirit of transparency and candour.
“The Government is cooperating with the inquiry. Tens of thousands of documents have been handed over.
“And with regard to the specific question at the moment, the Government is carefully considering its position, but it is confident in the approach it has taken.”
Here’s how the exchange continued:
Reporter: Are you prepared to get into a legal battle with the public inquiry – some senior figures think you will lose that fight.
Sunak: “Again, I don’t want to comment on the speculation, but we are carefully considering next steps, and the Government is confident in its position.”
Reporter: Are you saying it should be up to Ministers to decide what documents are looked at by the inquiry, not the independent judge in charge of it?
Sunak: “Again, the Government has handed over tens and tens of thousands of documents in the spirit of candour and transparency because it is important we learn the lessons of Covid. With regard to the particular question of the moment, we are carefully considering next steps. But the Government is confident in its position.”
Reporter: So, you might not hand over that material they are asking for?
Sunak: “Again, as I’ve said, the Government is considering next steps carefully but has been confident in its position and has handed over tens of thousands of documents.”
Reporter: Not all the documents they’ve asked for.
Sunak: “Tens of thousands of documents to date in the spirit of candour and transparency because it is important we learn the lessons from covid. And, again, carefully considering next steps.”
All a bit weird. To adapt Holly Willoughby's much-mocked opening phrase this week, are you OK Prime Minister?
You have to wonder if anyone has tried turning him off and switching him back on again. Maybe AI is already more advanced than we are led to believe.
During our media training courses, we stress the importance of spokespeople being able to create natural-sounding conversations.
No one wants to sound robotic.
But if you keep repeating the same words over and over again, that’s how you will appear.
There were strong Theresa May ‘Maybot’ vibes to this interview – you’ll remember she seemed to use “strong and stable” in everything she said.
Perhaps even more bizarrely, the current Prime Minister stuck to the same approach when asked a similar question a couple of days later – although the word “rigour” appeared to have been added to the algorithm.
Asked if they would be sending the unredacted messages ahead of the deadline, he replied: “Well, I think it is really important that we learn the lessons of covid so that we can be better prepared in future.
“And we are doing that in a spirit of rigour. But also transparency and candour. The Government has cooperated thoroughly with the inquiry today, handing over tens of thousands of documents, and we will continue to comply, of course, with the law and cooperate with the inquiry. We are confident in our position. But are carefully considering next steps.”
Asked if they would take the issue to court, he added: “As I’ve said, we’ve been long cooperating with the inquiry. It is very important we learn the lessons of covid so we are well prepared in the future. Government is considering, very carefully, next steps, but is confident in its position.”
So, what can other spokespeople learn from this? How can they avoid sounding robotic?
Media interview preparation is crucial, and that should include considering how you will respond to awkward questions.
But don’t script answers to those questions and try to memorise word for word what to say.
Creating a natural-sounding conversation in an interview involves listening carefully to the question and being confident enough to adapt and edit what you plan to say in response.
One of the best ways to sound human is to stick to the same language you use every day. No one says things like “in the spirit of candour” in real life.
What does it even mean?
Who thought it was a good idea to use it instead of “we’ve been open and transparent”?
I think, from these interviews, Mr Sunak wants us to know his Government has handed over many documents, he’s keen for lessons to be learnt, is considering what best to do next, and is confident about his position.
If only he’d repeated it one more time just to be clear.
Joking aside, repetition can work well in an interview when used well and help to get your message across.
Rather than parroting the same words and phrases, or slightly changing the order in which they are said, use variations of the message – spokespeople should be empowered to put messages into their language.
And use different examples and stories to support the message.
If you want to create the impression of openness and honesty, your actions need to back up your words.
Trying to evade difficult questions by repeating the same response doesn’t suggest a “spirit of candour and transparency”.
It is vital spokespeople avoid giving any indication of frustration with the questions.
If you look back at what Mr Sunak said, you’ll notice he repeatedly starts answers with “again” and “as I’ve said”.
It suggests he is uncomfortable with the questioning and is getting rattled.
During our media training courses, we advise delegates that using words and phrases like these is likely to see the reporter continue with the line of questioning.
One of the things we often discuss in our media training is the importance of spokespeople reviewing media interviews and trying to learn lessons from those performances.
The Prime Minister is a busy man.
But surely one of his advisors could at least have looked at that Sky News footage and advised Mr Sunak the approach he took did not work.
He may then have avoided making the same mistakes a couple of days later.
‘In the spirit of candour’, we should probably say we realise this seems like a plug for our training.
But good media training would help Mr Sunak avoid many of these mistakes.
It helps spokespeople to avoid sounding robotic and to show their human side by expressing feelings and showing emotions and vulnerabilities.
And it gives them the tools to manage uncomfortable questions without relying on scripts, appearing evasive or sounding irritated.
We’re ready when you are Rishi.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 35 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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