The biggest fear delegates on our media training courses often have about interviews is being asked difficult questions they don’t know how to answer.
It’s an understandable concern. And one that can be overcome with good preparation, confidence and the bridging technique.
But sometimes, it is the innocuous-looking questions that are the bigger hazard for spokespeople.
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Take Michael Tomlinson as an example.
The illegal migration minister appeared on Sky News, where he faced questions about Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan and Conservative party unity amid a rebellion.
But his bizarre answers about what he watches on TV and football ended up grabbing attention.
The interview started to go wrong when the politician was asked if he had watched Mr Bates vs the Post Office, the ITV drama that gripped the nation and shone the spotlight on the Post Office IT scandal.
He said: "I watch very little, is the honest and straightforward answer.
“If you ask my family, they would say I’m a little bit focused on what I’m doing and probably don’t have enough time to watch box sets, and I’m not sure I can even tell you the last box set I watched.
"But I do enjoy watching sport, and if you want to ask me about cricket or sport, then please do.”
That confidence in his sporting knowledge was sadly misplaced.
“Who is your football team?”, presenter Kay Burley asked.
When he replied, “I don’t really have a football team”, Ms Burley said, “So, you’re not really a sports fan.”
“I’m a cricket fan,” the floundering politician said.
“I love sport, and I enjoy watching sport, but it would be wrong to tell you I have a football team.
“I’ve been to Bournemouth. I’ve been to various other grounds. But I don’t have a specific football team.”
Then, just as Ms Burley wrapped up the interview by saying, “It’s good to see you”, the Dorset MP suddenly remembered he does follow a team, blurting out “Wimborne Town FC”, his local non-League club.
It was to prove an own goal.
What was their last result, Ms Burley asked.
“I couldn’t tell you that,” he replied. “The last result when I was there was very exciting. Lots of goals were scored, and it was a 1-1 draw.”
“That’s not ‘lots’”, a laughing Ms Burley said as she ended the interview.
What's Illegal Immigration Minister @Michael4MDNP 's favourite football team? #KayBurley FC pic.twitter.com/HMxZNXpUxU
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) January 17, 2024
It is a cringy, awkward, toe-curling exchange that didn’t overly impress his beloved club.
“Not his finest interview”, Wimborne Town’s X account posted, before adding, “But we appreciate the shoutout on @SkyNews from our local MP!”
Not @Michael4MDNP finest interview but we appreciate the shoutout on @SkyNews from our local MP!#UpTheMagpies https://t.co/SFlzkI6Qei
— Wimborne Town FC (@WimborneTownFC) January 17, 2024
Everyone’s a critic.
But does it matter that he stumbled over a few football questions?
Well, here is what the wide media focused on from the interview:
Tory MP Michael Tomlinson begs 'ask me about sport' - then forgets his football team Mirror
Kay Burley interview with ‘out of touch’ Tory MP branded ‘absolute car crash’ Metro
MP's car crash 'sport' interview goes bad to worse after being asked favourite football team Daily Star
Government minister mocked after forgetting what football team he supports in excruciating interview The Standard
Tory minister suffers ‘car crash’ interview on Sky News in toe-curling football exchange Daily Express
The cringe moment minister Michael Tomlinson says he 'loves sport' but doesn't support a football team - before desperately namechecking his local non-league side ... and admitting he doesn't know their last result https://t.co/672njHthN0 pic.twitter.com/UWSv7v8wxc
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) January 17, 2024
As you can see, his football knowledge, or lack of it, distracted from everything else he said in the interview.
It also gave his political rivals an open goal.
“All the footballs were kicked and people were merry. It was just jolly good fun,” the SNP’s Stephen Flynn posted.
All the footballs were kicked and people were merry. It was just jolly good fun.pic.twitter.com/rjgiNRCEa0
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) January 17, 2024
And, joking aside, that’s an issue for politicians who desperately want to appear normal and in touch with voters, particularly with an election on the horizon.
Perhaps we should not be too surprised by this media interview gaffe. David Cameron once told the media he supported West Ham when he supposedly follows Aston Villa - he blamed "brain fade" for getting his team wrong.
There has also been a little criticism for the presenter asking about TV shows and football where there are more serious issues to discuss.
But those issues had been covered. And these innocuous questions serve a purpose, as we stress during our media training courses. They can drag a spokesperson away from the questions they have prepared for and beyond their scripted response and lines to take.
They can give the audience an insight into the person talking to them, what makes them tick and how they want to be perceived.
So, what does this mean for other media spokespeople?
Topical
Well, firstly, this whole exchange started with Mr Tomlinson being asked about something away from his main subject that was also topical – the Post Office scandal.
It’s reasonable to expect that a member of the Government may have seen the TV drama and have some thoughts on the scandal.
Saying, ‘I’ve not seen it’, could be seen as a lack of interview preparation. You could also argue it suggests those in power are still not taking the scandal seriously.
We always stress to our media training delegates the importance of considering what else is in the media spotlight that could be brought into the interview and thinking about how they would respond.
Personal
Many of these seemingly harmless questions have a personal element.
“What football team do you support?” doesn’t seem taxing.
Yet, it has caused a distraction.
The good news for other media spokespeople is personal questions can often be anticipated.
If you work for a bank or building society, for example, you might be asked about your use of credit cards, your savings or when you last used cash.
If you work for the NHS, you could be asked how long it took to get your last GP appointment.
“How did you feel?” and “Why does it matter to you?” are more general but often asked personal questions.
Authenticity
Think about who you are speaking to in a media interview and whether what you say is believable to them.
Media spokespeople must seem honest and sincere.
If you don’t follow football, say that. It is much better than pretending you enjoy it, shouting out a random team name, floundering over results and then saying something most football fans would find laughable.
Opportunity
Change the way you think about innocuous personal questions.
Rather than viewing them as something to fear, view them as an opportunity to inject personality into an interview and show your human side.
It can help add credibility to what you are saying, and make you relatable.
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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