Rory Stewart reveals family’s reaction to viral Newsnight stare moment

Rory Stewart has revealed his family’s reaction to his viral moment on BBC Newsnight.

The former Conservative minister spun in his chair and stared at a fellow panelist, New Statesman political editor Ailbhe Rea, during his appearance on 18 September.

Presenter Matt Chorley later told The Guardian that he believed Stewart was genuinely “probably just intently listening to what Ailbhe had to say, and that behaviours that look normal in person can appear to be strange on screen.

Stewart later said his family told him to disable all of his social media on his phone.