Emily Maitlis admits last-minute bathroom break before Prince Andrew chat

Emily Maitlis admits she had to take a last-minute bathroom break before her groundbreaking chat with Prince Andrew.

The former Newsnight presenter has revealed she "fled to the toilet" ahead of their bombshell 2019 interview.

"I remember shaking Prince Andrew's hand, and then I excused myself and fled to the toilet," Emily, 54, told Good Housekeeping magazine.

"I locked the door and slumped in the corner of this wonderful, very chintzy, very ornate loo."

In the interview, the journalist grilled the prince about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Prior to entering the interview room, however, Emily has now revealed she had to steel herself for the conversation.

"I was holding the hand basin at one point," she said, "and just saying to myself: 'Right, what is this interview about? Find the focus, find the point of the interview'."

She added she reminded herself in the bathroom to remember her manners while still asking hard questions.

"I was sort of lecturing myself: 'Don't interrupt, don't be rude, don't forget to be courteous in your address - but also don't pull your punches in the questions'," Emily said.

The interview made headlines after Prince Andrew claimed he was physically incapable of sweating thanks to a trauma response to his military service in the Falklands War.