'I warned pal Andy not to risk Newsnight interview'

‘l said that would not be a good idea’

-  James Desborough

PRINCE Andrew ignored the advice of one of his closest friends - a media law expert in going ahead with his disastrous Newsnight interview.

In an extraordinary admission, leading libel lawyer Paul Tweed revealed he explicitly told Andrew to not go ahead with the 2019 bombshell sit-down interview with Emily Maitlis.

Mr Tweed, 68, described his pal as "naive" in dealing with the media and "trusting" in people.

Another family friend described the TV interaction as "horrendous" but felt the former Duke of York was not given a fair representation.

Mr Tweed said Andrew remains in "a horrendously difficult position" four years after stepping away from public life. He broke his silence about the car crash interview, which features in the documentary Secrets Of Prince Andrew, that airs in the US this month.

He divulged how he met Andrew, 63, close to his home in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in autumn 2019.

On camera, he said: "It was raised that he was considering doing an interview with Emily Maitlis on Newsnight.