Michael Gove’s round of broadcast interviews was disrupted when he got stuck in a lift at the BBC, Radio 4’s Today programme presenter Nick Robinson said.
The Communities Secretary was touring studios to explain his plan to tackle the cladding scandal when the mishap occurred.
Robinson told listeners: “We’ve had breaking news this morning that W1A is not in fact a satirical programme, because we were hoping to talk to Michael Gove – you might have been hoping to hear from Michael Gove at this time. He had very kindly come into the building so we didn’t have to deal with one of those awkward line failures.
“Mr Gove is stuck in the Broadcasting House lift. I wish I could say this is a joke, it is not a joke and it is not very funny for Mr Gove and the security man, who have been stuck there for some time.”
But Robinson said Mr Gove had been “keeping cheerful”.
He was later freed from the lift after being stuck for more than half an hour.
Appearing on the programme later than planned, the Levelling Up Secretary said he had been “successfully levelled up”, adding: “These sorts of things happen, and if you and I together have given ammunition for Armando Iannucci or for the next episode of W1A, then fine.”
Told by presenter Nick Robinson that the hashtag #FreeMichaelGove had been started on Twitter, the Cabinet minister said he suspected there are “rather more people” who feel he should be “incarcerated for longer”.
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