Alan Johnson goes on Matt Forde's Unspun instead

Labour leadership contender Owen Smith has pulled out of Matt Forde’s new political comedy show at the last minute.

The MP had been due to tape the new Dave series last night, but dropped out hours after accusing Jeremy Corbyn of being ‘delusional’ about the party's prospects of power under his control.

No reason has been given for his withdrawal. Instead former Home Secretary Alan Johnson stepped up to the plate. He was once tipped as a future Labour leader himself, asuccessor to Gordon Brown, but instead backed David Miliband.

Speaking on the show, dubbed the UK’s answer to the likes of The Daily Show, the Europhile MP for West Hull  spoke about the EU referendum, and said of Corbyn:  ‘Jeremy wasn’t the most passionate campaigner in favour of the EU, I would say at best he was neutral but he had people around him, John McDonnell, Seumas Milne, who were fiercely in favour of a No vote.’

Forde asked Johnson has had any interaction with Corbyn since, he replied: ‘None. None from the referendum onwards.’

But he added: ‘It’s not why we lost it, we lost it for all kinds of reasons including a former PM who’s now leaving Parliament, David Cameron, who just messed this up completely – disaster from start to last.’

Forde also mentioned a  YouGov survey about voting and sexual preferences which said Labour voters are more likely to enjoy spanking and sex outdoors.  

As the interview drew to a close, the comic asked: ‘Spanking or the great outdoors, Alan?’

Johnson responded: ‘Spanking is underrated’, explaining: ’It’s the satisfying smack of skin on skin.’

Corbyn and Smith are set to go head-to-head in front of a live television audience on Sky 1 tonight at 9pm, their last showdown in the often acrimonious leadership campaign. Unspun with Matt Forde airs on Dave an hour later, at 10pm

Future guests for the series – assuming they don’t bottle out – include Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, Labour MP Chuka Umunna  and Angus Robertson of the SNP.

Published: 14 Sep 2016