'Thank you for watching': Jeremy Paxman signs off from Newsnight after 25 years

Jeremy Paxman marked his final episode of Newsnight by interviewing London mayor Boris Johnson as they rode a bike in tandem.

17:18 19 June 2014

Jeremy Paxman has signed off from Newsnight after a quarter of a century with his swansong episode marked by interviewing London mayor Boris Johnson as the two rode in tandem on a pedal bike. 

 

Paxman, while pedalling with the mayor commented his last night’s assignment was the “most stupid.” He added: “I’ve done war zones, Boris, that are easier than this.”

 

At the end of the show, he said he ought to sign off by telling viewers to open their windows and scream “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” – a reference to the classic 1970s media satire film Network. Paxman backed down, however, and added: “But this is England so I’ll just say thank you for watching.”

 

The 64-year-old, who is known to hate reading weather forecasts, ended the show by saying: “And tomorrow’s weather – more of the same. I don’t know why they make such a fuss about it.” 

 

Among those to make a cameo on the last episode was former Home Secretary Michael Howard, who Paxman asked if he thought Tony Blair “has gone nuts.”