Jeremy Paxman ‘was asked to replace Boris Johnson’
Paxman, who has described himself as “a one-nation Tory”, was reportedly asked to enter the field to replace Boris Johnson, who is standing down in 2016.
He said the story “began life as a Boris Johnson joke”, adding: “I was indeed approached about the gig and invited to see David Cameron to discuss the idea.
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Paxman, who recently signed up to work with Channel 4 on its election coverage, bowed out of Newsnight this year after a quarter of a century with the flagship current affairs show.
His career includes a stint covering the troubles in Northern Ireland and working as a presenter on radio, breakfast TV and the Six O’Clock News before finding the show he made his own.
The Leeds-born broadcaster, who studied at Cambridge University, is the author of a string of books including studies of Victorian Britain, politics and fishing, and continues to host quiz show University Challenge.