BBC presenter Andrew Neil slams rocker Bobby Gillespie as '˜miserable Jock'

BBC politics presenter Andrew Neil has escalated his feud with Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie, labelling the rocker a '˜miserable Jock' as he reflected on their awkward recent TV appearance together.
The Primal Scream star looked distinctly unimpressed. Picture: BBCThe Primal Scream star looked distinctly unimpressed. Picture: BBC
The Primal Scream star looked distinctly unimpressed. Picture: BBC

Gillespie appeared on the Andrew Neil-fronted political magazine show This Week last month, where he was billed as discussing a lack of ‘progress’ after previous recessions.

Gillespie, who was also in seminal band The Jesus and Mary Chain, went viral after he was photographed looking distinctly unimpressed with the show’s ending, during which Neil, alongside Labour MP Caroline Flint and former Tory Minister Michael Portillo performed a dance craze called ‘skibidi’.

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Gillespie took to Primal Scream’s Instagram to address the appearance, where he hit out at Neil, and claimed the ‘sickening’ display was indicative of how the media ‘enables’ the political class in Britain.

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Rocker Bobby Gillespie hits out at '˜smug' Andrew Neil after BBC appearance

He wrote of his appearance:““I was immediately cut off by Andrew Neil who quickly handed the question over to Michael Portillo. I never got to say what I fully wanted, my impression was that Andrew Neil sensed an alternative opinion that he didn’t want to hear and closed me down.

“I found him to be arrogant, rude & smug.”

At the time, Neil was relatively diplomatic, posting: “The purpose of the final item on @bbcthisweek is to get away from party politics and ideology and have a bit of fun. I’m afraid Mr Gillespie fulfilled neither criterion.”

However as he reflected on the episode last night, the former Scotsman editor decided not to pull his punches.

Told by a follower the footage was ‘the TV highlight of the year’, Neil tweeted: “I hope we show it again so somebody can tell who the miserable Jock is and what he’s ever done.

“Other than scowl and spout Corbynista propaganda from his fancy Islington pad.”