Would-be London mayor Zac Goldsmith was left struggling for words today after being challenged to answer a series of simple questions about the capital.

The Tory candidate could not conceal his irritation as he was subjected to the quiz during a mock taxi ride for a television interview.

BBC presenter Norman Smith started off by asking the MP what football team played at Loftus Road.

Mr Goldsmith fidgeted in his seat as he was grilled by BBC presenter Norman Smith

Fidgeting in the back of the car, Mr Goldsmith replied: 'I don't know. What's the answer?'

On being told it was Queens Park Rangers, the politician began to protest - but was quickly challenged on his knowledge of the Tube map.

After boasting that he used the underground 'often', Mr Goldsmith was pushed to say what Central Line station came after Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

'I'm going to stop you there because I don't … most people have a route,' he blustered.

'I have two routes. Most people have a route or two routes, and they become like an extension of the body.

'You use those routes not for ethical reasons, but because it is the only way to get around London without being late for meetings.

'For routes outside of the norm you have apps like City Mapper which I rely pretty heavily on pretty much every day. They ensure that you get where you need to get to on time.'

The correct answer was Holborn - and Smith moved on to grill Mr Goldsmith, one of the wealthiest MPs in parliament, about the BBC's flagship London-based soap.

Prompted for the identity of the first landlord of the Queen Vic pub, the increasingly frustrated politician replied: 'In Eastenders? You're talking pretty much forty years ago, fifty years ago.'

But after a bit of thought he did supply the right answer: 'Dirty Den. Is that right?'

THE QUIZ THAT WHACKED ZAC What football team plays at Loftus Road? 'I don't know. What's the answer?' (QPR) What Central Line Tube station comes after Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road? 'I'm going to stop you there because I don't … most people have a route.' (Holborn) Who was the first landlord of the Queen Vic pub? 'In Eastenders? You're talking pretty much forty years ago, fifty years ago ... Dirty Den?' (Dirty Den) Where is the Museum of London? 'The museum of London is … where is the Museum of London? I went there very very recently. I can't tell you the road it is on.' (near Barbican) Advertisement

Things did not go as well when Mr Goldsmith - who has been trailing his Labour rival Sadiq Khan in polls - was questioned on the location of the Museum of London.

'The museum of London is … where is the Museum of London?' he flanneled. 'I went there very very recently. I can't tell you the road it is on.'

After being informed the museum was near the Barbican, Mr Goldsmith suffered one final humiliation as the 'taxi ride' came to an end and he attempted to give Smith directions to their destination.

'I think it is the next (turning). Oh, no it's not. I would have gone down there and left,' he mumbled.

The toe-curling encounter on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show was particularly embarrassing as during his appearance previously Mr Khan managed to remember that Crystal Palace played at Selhurst Park, and Embankment follows Charing Cross on the Northern Line.



