Laura Kuenssberg refuses to break one rule as TV presenter, even as she loses thousands of viewers

Laura Kuenssberg has not had the best start of the week. On Sunday 2 September, The Sunday Times announced that her weekly show Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg lost 700,000 viewers in a year. The news comes after Kuenssberg started hosting the weekly political show in September of 2022 after Andrew Parr left.

Many explain the drop by saying that she hasn’t been able to convince the viewers and she remains a bit of a mystery. Indeed, she follows Parr who was very open about his stroke. Other major presenters have also opened up about their personal struggles. For instance, Huw Edwards was known for being outspoken about his battle against depression.

In a new interview with The TelegraphLaura Kuenssberg sets the record straight about the ratings and explains why she prefers to keep her personal life to herself.

Laura Kuenssberg responds to the reported drop in rating

Laura Kuenssberg has managed, over the years, to become one of the most prominent voices on TV. She has covered many news and important events throughout her career. From standing outside of Parliament, to COVID and interviewing Prime Ministers, Kuenssberg knows what the TV News industry is like.

In September 2022, it was almost natural that she would become the face of the political BBC show Sunday with… when Andrew Parr left. Since she has started on the job, Kuenssberg has changed the format, allowing her panel of guests to react to the political interview which now opens the show. However, this seems to not have worked in terms of viewership as The Sunday Times reported.

When they announced a drop of 700,000 viewers, Kuenssberg disagreed. In The Telegraph she says:

That’s just not true (...) The numbers are in rude health, we’re in great shape – in fact if anything we are up in terms of audience.

According to her, her show averages at 1.5 million viewers and not 1.2 million as reported. She also mentions that the show isn’t the only thing bringing in viewers.

it’s a whole ecosystem: I write a column that gets a million views, I’m doing a new weekend Newscast podcast, the reach including social media is sometimes over three million. We’re reaching a broader, more female demographic.

Read more:Carol Kirkwood missing from BBC Breakfast once again as another host replaces her

Kuenssberg asks questions but she doesn’t like answering them

In her interview with The Telegraph, published in the evening of 6 September, Laura Kuenssberg is challenged about the fact that viewers do not know who she is. Of course, her face is recognisable but they have nothing to relate to.

In fact, during the interview, journalist Eleanor Mills had to face Kuenssberg PR when she wanted to ask about the TV host's personal life. However, even though Kuenssberg understands the desire to get to know her, sharing details of her personal life is something she won’t budge on.

She explains:

I’m here to do my job, to hold politicians to account, to poke holes in their arguments and I think the work doesn’t require it… I don’t seek the spotlight beyond the actual job

Continuing:

Other people in your life don’t choose your work so why should they be the subject of anyone else’s attention? I made that rule years ago and I’m not going to break it now, however charmingly people ask…

However, Laura Kuenssberg will openly talk about how getting to this stage of her career hasn’t been easy and has meant that many things have had to be sacrificed. Of course, sleep in one of them but that doesn’t surprise anyone. How she accepts the fact that ‘news comes first’ is a bit more interesting, especially as she is a working mother.

I was on holiday but I got a call from an MP saying ‘Jacob Rees-Mogg is going to Balmoral tomorrow. It is an outrage.’ I was on holiday. But the news comes first.

You can’t, in that role, say: ‘Sorry, I’m having my nails done.’ Or I’m hanging out with my family. In big high-pressure jobs, that’s the deal.

Her choice to keep her private life private is understandable but will viewers continue to tune in to see someone they don’t know anything about?

That’s the challenge that Kuenssberg currently faces.

Read more:

⋙ Huw Edwards: Poll reveals 53% of public want him back on BBC on one condition

⋙ BBC presenter scandal: The channel's reputation at stake as new details are being revealed

Sources:

The Telegraph: Laura Kuenssberg interview: ‘I’m happy to set the record straight – the ratings are in rude health’