Mary Portas has said she hopes she can avoid being interviewed by BBC Radio 4’s John Humphrys.
The retail expert and TV presenter praised Mishal Husain, who is one of the hosts of Radio 4’s Today, while revealing she is keen to steer clear of a chat with Humphrys, also a Today host.
Asked how she starts her day, Portas, 57, told Radio Times magazine: “I wake up with the Today programme.
“I think Mishal Husain is very good; she’s got a confidence and strength without being a grizzly old bear. The less said about those, the better.
“I’ve done lots of interviews on Radio 4 and I always hope they don’t give me John Humphrys.”
Humphrys is the longest-running host of the Today programme having started in the role in 1987, and he is known for his tough interviewing style.
Portas also told of her love of TV dramas and said that she can tell if a series is going to be “weak” from the start.
She said: “I love a good drama series like Fearless with Helen McCrory and The Crown.
“I’m also obsessed by anything by Sally Wainwright, she’s extraordinary.”
She added: “We’ve got some of the best dramas in the world in this country. I can sniff out if a drama’s a bit weak straight away.”
Portas is set to appear in Front Row’s Queer Icons series on Friday July 28 on Radio 4.
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