Andrew Marr has revealed that Elton John once asked him to relay a daring message to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of a meeting with the Russian leader.
The veteran broadcaster, who announced he was leaving the BBC in November after 21 years, interviewed Putin in 2014 ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Reflecting on their meeting during an interview on Monday’s Good Morning Britain, Andrew recalled a conversation he’d had with the British musician before leaving for Russia.
“He was extraordinary,” Andrew said of Putin. “He’s got this very famous, cold, cold stare that people talk about, but I would say, listening to him, because he was being interviewed then in lots of different languages, he’s one of the cleverest men that I have ever interviewed.
“He may not be any more, but he was then.”
Andrew continued: “I was in a slightly disturbed state myself, because I just interviewed Elton John before I had gone out to Sochi in Russia.
“If you remember, there was a big gay rights issue at the Winter Olympics, suspicion the Russians were homophobic, and Elton John said ‘Oh, you’re off to see Vladimir Putin?’.
“I said yes, and Elton John said ‘Well, give him a Donna Summer album and a kiss from me.’
“And I thought ‘I can’t really do that’, but that was going around in my head as I was talking to Putin. So it was a real moment.”
Andrew went on to slate the British government’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
“I am, I think, as angry as both of you seem to be about the lack of generosity and openness when we’re bringing people into this country, refugees,” he told hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley.
“All across Britain, people are raising money, they’re collecting food, they’re collecting clothing to send to the Ukrainians. There is a real sense that we stand with Ukrainians, we want to help and welcome Ukrainians.
“That is the kind of people we are in this country, and to have such a meagre, infuriating visa system at this time, it seems to me that the Foreign Office and the Home Office have got a complete tin ear for the mood of the country.
“They really have to get a grip of this very, very soon indeed.”
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am.