Peak 'Paxman'?

The trend, developing in recent years, of presenters being ever more aggressive in their questioning of politicians and other guests has, it seems, reached its peak. The aggressive style, embodied by the formidable Jeremy Paxman and his questioning of Michael Howard in 1997, had taken on a far more sinister, click-baity dimension in recent years, especially in the wild west days of the Brexit years.

The assured, informed and engaging interview style has been replaced gradually by a naked aggression, the object of which is not to extract a confession or somehow force an issue. The object has become the naked aggression itself, the hope being that the scandal of the style drives likes and shares, as opposed to the news in question. Frankly, some interviews border on the rabid and do nothing to engage informed and moderate observers. It likely turns people off.