Alex Salmond to host LBC radio phone-in show

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is to host a live weekly radio phone-in show on a London-based station.

Broadcaster LBC said "no topic will be off limits" as listeners call, text, tweet or email the SNP MP directly.

It has released a promotional video showing Mr Salmond reading offensive tweets about himself.

Fellow politicians Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage already host regular phone-ins on LBC.

Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg also answered questions every week for two years until the last general election.

Mr Salmond's show will be broadcast live at 16:00 every Wednesday from 13 January.

In a broadcast clip ahead of his first show, he revealed that a dark chocolate Bounty "is the bar for me" in response to a comment that "if Alex Salmond was chocolate he would be dark and bitter".

'Straight talking'

Mr Salmond also read out a tweet from another listener who quipped that the former first minister has "Fuzzy-Felt eyebrows".

The former SNP leader said: "It is a great pleasure to be joining LBC for my first ever radio show.

"When I was first minister of Scotland, there were times when I had to bite my tongue. However, now unburdened from office, I can shoot straight from the hip.

"I am looking forward to discussing all of the issues and taking calls from every corner of these islands. It's going to be honest, straight talking with a bit of fun thrown in."

Mr Salmond resigned as first minister and SNP leader after the 2014 Scottish independence referendum but has retained a high-profile role in politics, returning to the House of Commons as MP for Gordon in last year's general election.

LBC managing editor James Rea said: "Alex Salmond is one of the most outspoken and straight-talking politicians, with in-depth knowledge of Westminster and Scottish politics, and we look forward to him joining our powerful line-up this year."

But Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw predicted: "With his pledge to shoot from the hip, Nicola Sturgeon will be listening from behind the sofa in fear of what embarrassment her predecessor can now cause on a weekly basis."