Boris Johnson told ‘put it away’ after shameless boasting on US election show

Boris Johnson was repeatedly asked to stop ‘banging on about his book’ before being replaced on Channel 4’s live coverage of the US election.

Just a couple of minutes into the programme, titled America Decides: US Presidential Election, the former Prime Minister began ‘shamelessly’ promoting his new memoir – and he couldn’t be stopped.

Johnson was told to ‘put it away’ and ‘stop it, enough’ by co-host Krishnan Guru-Murthy as he twice referenced the new 784-page book, titled Unleashed. He even brought a copy of the memoir to the studio to show off to viewers.

Guru-Murthy called the former PM’s actions ‘so cheap,’ prompting Johnson to retort: ‘There’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop me… I’m allowed to plug my book.’

Johnson, indeed, continued to ‘bang on’ about his memoir, even when asked to comment on pressing issues.

At one point, he was questioned about the possibility of making a Trump-esque political comeback, to which he replied: ‘The answer is obviously contained in Unleashed where you’ll find the full discussion of the subject.’

Co-host Emily Maitlis told him: ‘We are not going to read your book, so just tell us, do you want to have a political comeback… you can’t actually answer a single question.’

But Johnson insisted: ‘By the way Emily I’ve answered all your questions all night. Currently I am blissfully engaged promoting my book Unleashed, available in all good book stores.’

Johnson also mentioned a meeting that he had with Donald Trump back in July, after this year’s first assassination attempt on the former President.

But he ended up promoting his book again, stating: ‘In case I failed to mention this, I am promoting my book Unleashed, and I had a talk with him about Ukraine.’

Channel 4 eventually replaced the former prime minister with Michael Cohen, a former lawyer for Trump, though it is uncertain whether Johnson’s exit was planned or not.

Viewers of the coverage were left confused by Johnson’s appearance.

Simon deBrux posted on X: ‘Boris Johnson has only been on the C4 US election programme for five minutes but has plugged his book twice.’

And Land of Tope and Dory wrote: ‘Boris Johnson’s got a lot of money, by fair means or foul, it tells you a lot about his character that he’s prepared to demean himself publicly in order to shamelessly plug his crappy book at every opportunity.’

Johnson was joined on the programme by reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner and Stormy Daniels, the woman at the centre of Trump’s hush money trial following an affair between the two.

His memoir was released last month, selling 42,528 copies in its opening week – which was reportedly ‘well below expectations.’

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