Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview about friendship with Jeffrey Epstein to be broadcast as a satirical musical on Channel 4

Channel 4 is set to reimagine the infamous BBC interview where the Duke of York was asked about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The broadcaster’s hour-long satirical musical is part of a new roster of programmes being released as Channel 4 celebrates its 40th birthday.

Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview is widely considered to be the worst interview in royal history.

He dismissed all of the allegations about his involvement with Virgina Guiffre and her claims about him sweating heavily in a London club.

The Duke responded to the claims while talking to BBC’s Emily Maitlis in 2019, by suggesting that he had a medical condition which prevented him from sweating and said he was at a Pizza Express.

Virginia was trafficked by Epstein on three occasions, including when she was a minor under US law at age 17.

Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew first met over two decades ago and determined to clear his name, Andrew agreed to the BBC interview.

The fallout from the Newsnight interview led to the Prince stepping down from public life on 20 November 2019.

Comedian Kieran Hodgson has been tipped to play the role of Prince Andrew in Channel 4’s musical.

It has also been reported that the song ‘My Profiterole’ will feature, based on the Duke of York impressing his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson with the dessert.

Channel 4’s chief content officer, Ian Katz said: “From musical satire about Prince Andrew to an exploration of cancel culture in art via men with very large penises, this season shows that Channel 4 is still as mischievous, disruptive and distinctive as when it was born 40 years ago.

“Instead of a nostalgia-thon of highlights from the last four decades, we are celebrating with a collection of irreverent, thought-provoking and hugely entertaining shows that no other broadcaster would air.”

Katz added: “If we must age, we plan to do it disgracefully.”

The musical comes as royal sources worry that certain dramatisations of the Duke of York’s interview could bend the truth following a “feeding frenzy” to claim credit.

Notably, the two women responsible for getting Prince Andrew on Newsnight are competing to tell the story of the infamous interview.

Former Newsnight Interview producer Sam McAlister reportedly sold the rights to her television show and book ‘Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews’, which details how the interview was secured.

The story will be remade into a film which will premiere later this year, with Bafta-winning screenwriter Peter Moffat on board.

Competing against her former Newsnight colleague is interviewer Emily Maitlis, who has created her own script about the day.

A friend of Prince Andrew commented on the media frenzy when he spoke to the Times.

Mail Online reported the friend, saying: “This latest exploitation for financial gain of a book and a film of what was, and remains, a very difficult time for the family, is unwelcome.

“Not least as the events leading up to and around the interview appear to have elements of dramatic licence.”

Channel 4 turns 40 in November and will air the unscripted shows to celebrate.