Viewers angered by Naga Munchetty’s interview with annoyed Bill Bailey

BBC Breakfast viewers reacted strongly to an interview between Naga Munchetty and comedian Bill Bailey, labeling it as uncomfortable and cringe-worthy. Bailey, promoting his latest memoir “My Animals, and Other Animals: A memoir of sorts,” found himself in a particularly bizarre exchange during the Friday segment.

While showcasing photos of animals, a picture of Bailey with a husky in Iceland sparked an odd line of questioning from Munchetty. She inquired whether the tongue seen in the photo belonged to Bailey or the dog. A clearly bewildered Bailey responded, “That’s the dog’s tongue, what do you mean is that my tongue? It’s coming out sideways! That’s not the sort of thing I’d do! That’s the dog’s tongue!”

Even after his response, Naga persisted, saying it would be believable if someone said it was Bailey’s tongue. The comedian shot back with humor, “That’s not the question I thought I was going to get today: ‘Is that your tongue or the dog’s?’”

The discussion shifted to the topic of artificial intelligence potentially usurping comedians, a notion Bailey firmly rejected, insisting that AI could never replicate him. Naga cheekily remarked, “You’re saying it as a compliment, the husky had a nice tongue!” to which Bailey responded with a bemused, “Alright…”

Viewers didn’t hold back in their criticism of the interview on social media. One user expressed, “Had to turn over from that Bill Bailey interview, glad I wasn’t on my own feeling awkward watching that. Dreadful stuff.” Another noted, “He seemed a bit irked with her at the end.” A third viewer commented, “Naga just comes across as so annoying, ref Bill Bailey.”

Bailey’s memoir, released on October 10, delves into his life experiences and the animals he’s encountered. BBC Breakfast airs weekdays at 6am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. What do you think about Naga’s question? Let us know your thoughts.