Laura Kuenssberg: Sunday politics present scores should not down since Andrew Marr
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aura Kuenssberg has defended her viewers viewing figures since taking up the BBC’s flagship Sunday politics programme from Andrew Marr.
The 47-year-old former BBC political editor had her first episode of Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg in September final 12 months shortly earlier than Liz Truss was revealed as Boris Johnson’s successor as Prime Minister.
Marr had offered The Andrew Marr Show within the Sunday slot for 16 years earlier than leaving the company on the finish of 2021.
In a latest interview, Kuenssberg advised the Telegraph that her present is in “great shape” and “up in terms of audience” following reviews that TV scores had been down.
She mentioned: “The average viewing figures for Andrew Marr were 1.45 million in 2019, 1.36 million in 2018 and 1.5 million in 2017.
“The average since I took over is 1.5 million, which in a time of fracturing audience figures is bucking the trend.”
Kuenssberg additionally talked in regards to the “whole ecosystem” of her attain which features a weekend version of Newscast with BBC Radio 4’s Paddy O’Connell alongside together with her social media.
She mentioned: “We’re reaching a broader, more female demographic. I’m happy with where we are at but I am not going to relax.”
Since Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg launched, she has modified the format from Marr’s days to incorporate a panel – which has featured comedians, journalists, actors and specialists – that reacts to the week’s news.
This has generated headline moments comparable to when comic Joe Lycett appeared to sarcastically reward Ms Truss and jokingly claimed he was “very right-wing” throughout the first instalment of the programme.
Comedian Ben Elton additionally criticised Rishi Sunak throughout an look on the present in June after listening to the Prime Minister being interviewed.
Kuenssberg additionally dominated out a Strictly Come Dancing look, saying “you’ll never catch me wearing sparkly pants” and mentioned she steers away from the non-public in her job.
“Other people in your life don’t choose your work so why should they be the subject of anyone else’s attention?” she mentioned. “I made that rule years ago and I’m not going to break it now.”
She is about to move a BBC documentary, Laura Kuenssberg: State Of Chaos, which can look again on the Brexit referendum to the tip of the management of Ms Truss.
Ahead of the primary episode airing on Monday, Kuenssberg beforehand mentioned: “The referendum result triggered years of turbulence in our politics – chaos inside the Conservative Party and Parliament, with prime ministers coming and going in quick succession.
“I want to take viewers behind the scenes to show them what really happened, and ask whether after all the craziness, politics will ever be the same again?”