Liz Truss has pulled out of an interview with veteran political journalist Nick Robinson the day before it was due to broadcast, saying she could "no longer spare the time".
BBC News tweeted on Monday that the one-to-one interview was scheduled to broadcast at 7pm on Tuesday on BBC One.
“We regret that it has not been possible to do an in-depth interview with both candidates despite having reached agreement to do so,” the BBC press team said in another tweet.
Ms Truss’s rival in the race for No 10, Rishi Sunak, sat down with Mr Robinson this month.
“Was pleased to secure an in-depth interview with @trussliz on BBC1. I am disappointed & frustrated it’s been cancelled,” tweeted Mr Robinson.
Ms Truss had already declined to be interviewed by veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil on Channel 4, while Mr Sunak has faced him.
She did face questions from a GB News audience in Leigh, Greater Manchester, in an hour-long programme this month, something Mr Sunak has avoided.
Ms Truss’s campaign team has been approached for comment on the withdrawal from the BBC One interview.
The candidates will go head-to-head once more in the last official hustings of the Tory leadership race on Wednesday.
The ballot of Conservative Party members closes on Friday, with the winner to be announced on September 5.
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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