Carlson's stunt confirmed Putin is dangerous, writes ANDREW NEIL

In the end it was no contest. , bloviating broadcaster for the pro-Trump MAGA movement, was blown out of the water by President , dictator of all the Russias. Carlson thought he was doing the Russian leader a favour by going to to give him a platform to explain why he invaded Ukraine and the multiple conspiracy theories associated with it, which Carlson and the MAGA cult uncritically lap up. But Putin did Carlson no favours.

Right from the get-go Putin hijacked the interview with an interminable discourse on Russian history which started in the 9th century and took over half an hour to get to the 20th century, much less Putin’s in early 2022, which took almost another half hour. If this is how Putin treats his friends you can understand why his enemies fear him. He even teased Carlson about once trying to join the CIA.

Carlson, bar a couple of feeble interjections, just sat there with an increasingly pained expression as he realised what was meant to be his great broadcasting coup — Putin’s first interview with Western media since the invasion — was disappearing down the Swanee.