Why? Mike is a bit overweight, so his breathing is labored and you get to listen to him inhale and exhale while a guest speaks. As an added bonus, he slurps his coffee and smacks his lips, which comes through nicely via headphones. (Minus 1/2 star)
I also subtract 1/2 star for Peter Hitchens, who mumbles his way through his regular segment on Mike’s show. Someone should tell Peter it is OK to open his mouth when he tries to speak. He takes the concept of “stiff upper lip” to the extreme. Peter speaks with a stiff upper AND lower lip, and a stiff jaw as well.
On the whole, it’s a good show. Mike has some worthwhile guests, and he’s a decent interviewer. I find him relatively sane, which is fairly rare in British media. I also appreciate him calling out the dysfunctional UK parliament and their corrupt politicians, regardless of party affiliation.
