Veteran broadcaster John Humphrys has criticised the current presenters of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which he fronted for more than three decades, accusing them of being "irritating" and overly deferential towards their guests. He claims his successors engage in what he describes as a "gushing contest" with interviewees, suggesting the show has drifted away from the more robust, challenging interviewing style for which he was known.

The comments come from Humphrys, who left the flagship morning news programme in 2019 after 32 years and was long regarded as one of its most combative interrogators of politicians and public figures. His remarks reflect a wider debate about the tone and rigour of BBC current affairs output, though the full detail of his criticism and any BBC response were not available in the text provided.