BBC bosses are warning interviewers not to put ministers under pressure over the coronavirus crisis, says former Today Programme presenter John Humphrys.

The veteran broadcaster, 76, made the revealing claim in his column for today's Daily Mail.

He wrote: 'I'm told BBC bosses are warning interviewers not to put ministers under pressure.

John Humphrys (left), 76, said BBC bosses are 'warning interviewers not to put ministers under pressure'. Pictured right: Dominic Raab speaking with BBC presenter Andrew Marr

Health Secretary Matt Hancock (centre) gave the media briefing from Downing Street on Friday

'Why? If the questioning is well informed and polite, surely the tougher the better.

'All this stuff might be justified if we were at war. But we're not. To talk of the virus as an enemy is to misunderstand the crisis with which we are faced.'

Mr Humphrys added: 'The state will survive. The question is how much it might have changed. The Chinese found a way of dealing with the virus. Nobody questioned it because they did not dare.

'That's the way it is under totalitarian rule. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

'Plus, occasionally, a touch of rebellion.'

Social media users have also accused the broadcasting company of failing to 'take the government to task' and 'looking after' ministers.

Referring to Matt Hancock urging the public 'not to overuse PPE' this morning, one tweeted: 'Why doesn't he answer questions?

'He was asked by Mishal Husain today if the death toll would have been lower had measures been taken earlier. He faffed, but didn't answer the question.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, pictured above, insisted that there is enough gear to meet demand but should be treated by hospitals as a 'precious resource'

'And BBC's Husain didn't say "you didn't answer the question". This should be routine practice.'

Another posted: 'The Today programme recently even had an item comparing Johnson with Churchill.

'The BBC in general is simply not prepared to take the government to task and hold its feet to the fire.'

A third added: 'Two days ago Nursing Times reported 23 HCP's had died, yet today Matt Hancock claims it's 19! How can a word uttered by Hancock be believed?

'Did the BBC not do any research before the interview or are you prevented from challenging the SOS mendacity!'

Social media users (tweets above) have also accused the broadcasting company of failing to 'take the government to task' and 'looking after' ministers

A fourth wrote yesterday: 'BBC suddenly cut off today’s Downing Street briefing when Hancock was asked a critical question about his failure to maintain social distancing in meetings at his office. BBC looking after the Tories again.'

It follows the Health Secretary saying it is 'really important' for people 'not to overuse PPE' on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, doubling down on remarks made at yesterday's Number 10 press briefing.

He added: 'I don't want to impugn blame on people who have used more PPE than the guidelines suggest because I understand the difficulties in the circumstances.

'What I would say it is very important to use the right PPE and not overuse it.

'Of course there have been examples but I don't want to stress that because I also understand the circumstances in which people might have used more PPE than was strictly necessary according to the guidelines.'

A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: 'This is emphatically not the case, as watching or listening to our interviews demonstrates.

'It is the job of our journalists to challenge and question ministers on behalf of the public, while bearing in mind that we are in the middle of a public health emergency.'