The most painfully awkward interviews of 2015

Robert Downey Jr storms out of an interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy. His face says it all

Spare a thought for the news anchor or presenter who is forced to think on their feet when interviewing volatile actors, comedians, musicians and politicians live on television. These spur of the moment interactions can produce scoops, hilarious exchanges and build a visible rapport between interviewer and subject. But on some occasions, they descend into seemingly endless moments of excruciating awkwardness when one such spur of the moment question is not well received by the subject.

Eamonn Holmes vs Jeremy Corbyn

Eamonn Holmes provoked an angry response on social media with his questions (Sky News)

What better place to start than with the Sky News Sunrise anchor interrogating the then Labour leadership candidate about how he came to wear a tie before segueing into meandering football metaphors and repeatedly asking, “do you want to win Jeremy??” Corbyn, who did want to win and went on to become Labour leader, spent the latter part of the interview stifling a giggle and begging to be allowed to speak.

Jeremy Corbyn vs Cathy Newman

Cathy Newman claimed Corbyn was late for their interview which took place in an alleyway while Corbyn’s camp accused her of ambushing him over reports he had links with Holocaust deniers and people with anti-Semitic views. The Channel 4 anchor was hit by claims she had been “aggressive” in her line of questioning and Corbyn showed a rarely seen combative side on camera. Tense viewing.

Kay Burley vs Dawn Butler

Another gem from a Sky News presenter, this time from Burley. Long before #sadnessinhiseyes began trending, Burley caught the nation's attention for the wrong reasons while interviewing Labour MP Dawn Butler to discuss why she nominated Corbyn despite having no desire for him to win the leadership contest. Burley appeared to be struggling to understand that Butler did NOT want to Corbyn to win and had selected him to make the process more democratic, despite her clearly stating this three times. An exasperated Butler eventually resorted to asking Burley what was wrong with her. Watch the exchange below.

Serena Williams vs a press conference

The media (and the world – take note) was taught a lesson in not antagonising interviewees by asking them to smile in front of a room full of fellow journalists by tennis ace Serena Williams. Williams, who was fresh off the court after scoring her umpteenth victory, was forced to sit in front of a press conference while presumably knackered from trouncing yet another opponent. One journalist dared to ask her why she wasn’t smiling. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to be here,” she responded flatly.

Russell Brand vs Paraic O'Brien

The comedian Russell Brand revealed to the world a less comical side when a Channel 4 News's Paraic O'Brien dared to ask if his efforts towards helping those hit the hardest by London’s housing crisis was appropriate considering the upmarket property he lives in and the personal wealth that makes him one of London’s super-rich snapping up affordable homes.

“Snides like you undermine it,” Brand thundered. Watch the awkward exchange below.

Cara Delevigne vs Good Day Sacramento

Up until this point, Delevigne’s broad appeal to her legions of fans centred on their perception of her as approachable, relatable, and, judging by her oft-updated Instagram, one of the happiest supermodels to grace the covers of almost every British fashion magazine. This image was called into question when the actress lost her temper with a group of US morning show presenters after being asked a number of inane questions, including whether she had read the book the film she was there to promote was based on. Delevigne and the news anchors clashed from the beginning after she was introduced as ‘Carla’. Tensions escalated until she was told to leave and drink a Red Bull. Painful viewing.

Dakota Johnson and Melanie Griffith

The word excruciating is thrown around far too liberally to describe awkward interviews, but one of the few that unquestionably deserves that adjective is a tense exchange between mother and daughter Johnson and Griffith at the 2015 Academy Awards. Griffith was asked if she had watched Johnson’s turn in bondage drama 50 Shades of Grey. Griffith had not, and had no plans to either, prompting some serious eye-rolling from her daughter. Ouch.

Robert Downey Jr vs Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Guru-Murthy cemented his reputation for ruffling the feathers of his interviewees when he saw Downey Jr flounce out of an interview after branding the Channel 4 anchor a “bottom-feeding muckracker” in one of 2015’s most imaginative insults. The question that upset the Iron Man actor was about his relationship with drink and drugs in the past. Guru-Murthy simply sat there looking bemused and neither man had any regrets after the interview, with Downey Jr telling Howard Stern the only thing he would have done differently is leave sooner.

Natalie Bennett vs Nick Ferrari

The issue that made this interview so awkward was not combativeness but the fact that Bennet seemed unable to explain the reasoning behind one of the Green Party’s most important financial policies during a live interview on LBC Radio. Social media users were as unforgiving as ever and Bennett’s performance was branded “the worst party leader interview ever given”.

Robert De Niro vs Emma Brockes

An interview with the Taxi Driver actor was brought to an abrupt end when a journalist from the Radio Times found herself accused of ‘negative inference’ in her line of questioning. Brockes, or ‘darling’ as De Niro repeatedly referred to her as, became embroiled in an argument with him during an interview promoting his film The Intern (which was panned by critics). “I certainly didn’t go in looking for an argument but when it happened I did think ‘at least he’s finally saying something',” Brockes told The Independent afterwards.

Eamonn Holmes vs David Cassidy

Holmes is a serial offender, this time incurring the wrath of the actor David Cassidy for asking about his bankruptcy and his debts. Clearly pained at having to discuss his financial situation, Cassidy answered questions through clenched teeth before a question about his debt tipped him over the edge. He denied having any debts and insisted his decision to file for bankruptcy was a way of reorganising his finances. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait … don’t interrupt me,” he snapped after Holmes’s wife and co-presenter Ruth tried to move the interview on, which lasted an agonising seven minutes.

Holmes made light of the interview with an (admittedly hilarious) impersonation of Cassidy later in the show, which you can (and should) watch (above).