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Boris Johnson has refused to do an interview with ITV's Julie Etchingham ahead of the general election, the channel has said.

He is the only leader of a major party to turn down the request from the channel’s Tonight programme, having also declined to be interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Neil.

Instead, the broadcaster will show footage of recent interviews with other people and archive footage.

A spokesman for ITV said: “The ITV News team making the Boris Johnson Tonight film made the original bid for the Prime Minister when the election was called.

“They have contacted his press team on repeated occasions with times and dates offered to film an interview."

The spokesman added: “Boris Johnson’s team have today confirmed he will not be taking part.

“The programme will instead feature a profile of the Prime Minister using fresh interviews with other contributors and archive footage.”

Jeremy Corbyn's exchange with Ms Etchinham was due to be broadcast on Thursday night, including an odd section were the Labour leader forgets the time of the Queen's speech on Christmas Day.

Mr Johnson is yet to agree a date to sit down with Andrew Neil, who has been interviewing all other party leaders.

The Prime Minister sat down with the BBC's Andrew Marr on Sunday in an appearance that was only agreed after the London Bridge terror attacks .

There have been claims that Mr Johnson is avoiding scrutiny by not agreeing to the interviews.