Journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy has defended the choice of guests set to feature on Channel 4‘s 2024 US Presidential Election special after he was asked if controversial figures had been chosen deliberately as ‘stunt bookings’.
Guru-Murthy is set to host the network’s overnight coverage alongside fellow leading news presenters Matt Frei, Emily Maitlis and Jeremy Vine.
A press release issued by Channel 4 confirmed guests would include former adult film star Stormy Daniels, media personality Caitlyn Jenner and Republican strategist Frank Luntz.
Asked by Radio Times if the controversial guest list was a series of ‘stunt bookings’, Guru-Murthy responded: “Not at all. They’re a really important part of the story of how America has got to this point. Daniels and Jenner will help us understand why America is so polarised.”
Stormy Daniels was at the centre of Donald Trump’s hush-money scandal after it emerged she had been paid $130,000 to deny they had an affair ahead of the 2016 election.
The former president was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records following a six week trial in New York earlier this year.
Caitlyn Jenner has been an outspoken supporter of the Republican party and has declared the reelection of Trump this year would “restore world peace”.
However, she has flip-flopped on her support for Trump over the years, having withdrawn her backing in 2018 over concerns Trump had “relentlessly attacked” the transgender community.
The election show, which will be broadcast in partnership with CNN, has been described by Channel 4 as “groundbreaking coverage” which is set to deliver “a stellar international selection of presenters, guests and expert analysis”.
Ahead of the night, Guru-Murthy has expressed hopes for “lively, intelligent and insightful” discussion with “a brilliant line up of people on both sides of the Atlantic”.
Asked for his prediction of who would win the vote, Guru-Murthy said: “I’ve been covering US elections since 1992 and this is definitely the one where I would least like to say which way it will go. It’s an absolute mug’s game.”
The race so far has been a tight competition and both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have thrust a significant amount of effort into campaigning across swing states which have the power to sway the final result.
As of Tuesday, polls indicate Harris has a slight three point lead over the Republican candidate, although the exit poll’s preliminary results delivered at 9pm GMT on election day are likely to give a clearer view of the ultimate result.
