Nicola Sturgeon appears annoyed after Kay Burley cuts her off mid-sentence to shout questions at Matt Hancock as he enters No 10

‘Actually, I was keener to continue to give a message to Scotland,’ says first minister after interruption

Scotland’s First Minister appeared visibly irritated on-air after Sky News presenter Kay Burley interrupted her mid-sentence and turned her back on the interview to shout across the road to Matt Hancock.

Nicola Sturgeon was in the middle of an interview with Ms Burley to speak on her decision to stick to the “Stay Home” message for Scotland after the prime minister’s announcement that some lockdown measures were eased in England.

But the MSP for Glasgow was abruptly cut off by the reporter as she was explaining that the only change for people in Scotland is they are now allowed to exercise outside as much as they want.

Ms Burley interrupted: “Bear with me one second, Ms Sturgeon, if you will please.”

The camera then cuts to Ms Burley greeting Matt Hancock as he arrived at No 10, and she asks: “Good morning Health Minister, how are you? Will we be hearing from the Prime Minister soon?”

Mr Hancock replies before entering the building: “We’ll have more from the Prime Minister later in parliament this afternoon.”

“Sorry about that Ms Sturgeon, the health secretary just arrived and he tells us we will hear more from the Prime Minister later on,” said Ms Burley as she returned to Ms Sturgeon, who can be seen shaking her head and blinking rapidly at the sudden interruption.

“I’m sure you will be very keen to hear what he has to say.”

Ms Sturgeon replied: “Actually, I was keener to continue to give a message to Scotland.”

The Sky News presenter has received criticism for the way she treated the First Minister after a clip of the interview was posted on social media, with many calling her “rude” and “disrespectful”.

One person said: “Just to shout across the road to the minister. I have NEVER heard any fresh bit of info emerge from these mindless journalistic shouts and to do this mid-interview was so unprofessional and disrespectful regardless of political views.”

Another said: “Deeply ignorant and unprofessional behaviour. Not even as if she was cutting away to a ministerial announcement of anything.”

A retired police officer, Gary Turnbull, tweeted Ms Burley and said: “Wtf, Kay Burley interviewing Nicola Sturgeon on Sky News and turns away to scream a question at some government minister!”

Ms Burley responded: “‘Some government minister’ and watch the expletives Mr Retired Police Officer."

She also quote tweeted one other comment, from Leicester Live political correspondent Dan Martin who noted she was “not even speaking to [Matt Hancock] – just watching him walk through a door”.

“For a Leics Live politics correspondent you should listen a little closer, Dan,” Ms Burley quipped.

The Independent has contacted Nicola Sturgeon and Sky News for comment.