TV critics call Harry: The Interview ‘choreographed and unchallenging’

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Prince Harry once again turned the fire on his family in a bombshell interview with Tom Bradby in Prince Harry: The Interview, which aired on ITV on Sunday evening. 

TV critics have accused Bradby of sycophancy due to his 20-year friendship with the Duke, calling the interview ‘stage-managed and unchallenging from start to finish’ and ‘choreographed.’

While one critic said Bradby is not a bad interviewer, he is also not a great one, for failing to press Prince Harry on the some of the more difficult topics, such as when he rails against press intrusion, during his own personal marketing strategy.

However, others argued that Harry’s sadness over the death of his beloved mother, Princess Diana, in 1997 was emotional and moving and heartbreaking to watch.

The trauma is etched on his face as he recounts how he demanded and got to see the secret government file about Diana’s death.

TV critics call Harry: The Interview ‘choreographed and unchallenging’

‘Stage-managed and unchallenging from start to finish’: TV critics have called Harry: The Interview ‘choreographed’ and accuse Tom Bradby of ‘letting him off the hook too often’ 

Nick Hilton, writes for The Independent: ‘If you’re not already drained by the endless Windsor saga, get ready for another glimpse inside Britain’s iciest family.

Bradby, meanwhile, is never one to leave a boot unlicked. He describes Harry’s prose alternately as “moving”, “searing”, “funny”, “scathing”, and “heartbreaking”. “I don’t think anyone’s going to read it and not fly through it,” comes his final conclusion.

‘It is a level of sycophancy – Bradby disclaims at the start that they “have known each other for more than 20 years” – typical of a product that is stage-managed and unchallenging from start to finish. For all that the younger prince rails against press intrusion, he has created, here, little more than a press release.’

The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan is more supportive and claims ‘if she had lived to see this, it wouldn’t have killed the Queen. But it might have made her a republican.

‘We were softened up first by the memory of his childhood and the shattering death of his mother when he was 12 – a psychic wound that rarely fully heals even for children brought up in the most functioning families, which few would claim the Windsors to be. 

‘A very moving segment of the audiobook is played – beautifully read by Harry himself – about how he demanded and got to see the secret government file about Diana’s death. His press secretary removed the most awful photos but let him see as much as he thought Harry could bear, because he knew he had to.’

' segment of the audiobook is played – read by Harry – about how he demanded and got to see the secret government file about Diana’s death (Harry pictured with his mother in 1987)

‘ segment of the audiobook is played – read by Harry – about how he demanded and got to see the secret government file about Diana’s death (Harry pictured with his mother in 1987)  

Harry: The Interview – what the critics are saying…  

The Independent, Nick Hilton 

Stage-managed and unchallenging from start to finish – we’re being offered yet another glimpse into Britain’s iciest family in this strange and choreographed ITV special

The Guardian, Lucy Mangan 

So horribly sad it could have turned the Queen anti-monarchy. In the space of one hour and 40 minutes, the king’s second son is moving, charming – and absolutely lays waste to the royals and all they stand for

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The Express, Mike Ward

Harry is not desperate to ‘reconcile’, he is desperate to flog his tawdry book. Do you suppose Prince Harry is familiar with the expression “least said, soonest mended”? If so, it’s clearly not advice he cares to heed.

The Times, Carol Midgley

Tom Bradby lobbed some decent hard balls at Prince Harry in Harry: The Interview but he didn’t ask him the obvious question. Will there ever come a point, Harry, when this whingeing will stop?

The Telegraph, Anita Singh

Prince Harry ITV interview review: The Duke seemed incredulous that Tom Bradby was challenging his narrative 

It was a strong interview but unpleasant to watch. Bradby looked exhausted by the end. Although I do suspect that, after this interview, he will be back on the Buckingham Palace Christmas card list. 

Mike Ward writes for The Express: ‘It reeks of the most cynical marketing strategy. Tom didn’t seem all that keen to press Harry on that point, but then nor did I expect him to.

That’s not to say Bradby is a bad interviewer. But he didn’t show himself to be a great one.

A great interviewer doesn’t just ask, he also pushes for proper answers. With Harry banging on about “owning [his] story”, he did press him to acknowledge his brother’s “counter-narrative”… But by the end, you were left with the feeling he’d let him off the hook a little too often.

Carol Midgely from The Times writes: ‘Tom Bradby lobbed some decent hard balls at Prince Harry in Harry: The Interview but he didn’t ask him the obvious question. Will there ever come a point, Harry, when this whingeing will stop?

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‘Let’s be fair, some of his complaints were valid and the opening section about how his father told him about the death of his mother (“Darling boy; Mummy’s been in a car crash”) was heartbreaking. The trauma is still written on his face.’ 

‘But overall Bradby did a good interviewing job, often with a visibly raised eyebrow gently trying to show Harry where he had contradicted himself. Harry has some solid grievances but he is immersed in therapy-speak and it often felt at times, yet again, like a very privileged man having a very long grumble.’

Anita Singh from The Telegraph writes: ‘Prince Harry ITV interview review: The Duke seemed incredulous that Tom Bradby was challenging his narrative. 

‘So in terms of scoops the interview had little to recommend it, because every bit of the book had been done to death. As a psychological study, though, it was grimly fascinating. Nothing is Harry’s fault, and almost everything can be blamed on the press. He mentioned the tabloids more times than I could count, with a relentlessness that bordered on the obsessive.

‘It was a strong interview but unpleasant to watch. Bradby looked exhausted by the end. Although I do suspect that, after this interview, he will be back on the Buckingham Palace Christmas card list.’

Heartbreaking: The Duke of Sussex speaks often about his mother in his new memoir Spare, which is released in the UK on January 10

Heartbreaking: The Duke of Sussex speaks often about his mother in his new memoir Spare, which is released in the UK on January 10 

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