Brutal five word reason Michael Portillo was rejected by hit BBC show

Anyone hoping to get an insight into Michael Portillo's family tree on the hit BBC geneaology show Who Do You Think You Are? will be sorely disappointed as the former politician revealed he was rejected by the programme. He made the admission during an appearance on Steph's Packed Lunch in 2021, telling host Steph McGovern he was approached by the show about taking part, only to then be rejected. Recalling the meeting he said: "I told this story about my father. So, they said, 'you've told that story already'."

His revelation came as Steph admitted she too had been passed over for an appearance on the show. "I think a lot of people get told their family is boring. I had a meeting with them once as well and never heard from them again. A few of my friends have said that too, and we all think our families must be boring," she laughed.

Michael has been in the headlines recently due to celebrity chef Nigella Lawson admitting she has a crush on him. The star said she was "shockingly" attracted to the Great British Railway Journeys star. The 65-year-old cooking expert shared there was something "debauched about him".

Portillo, 70, has been married to his wife Carolyn Eadie for more than 40 years, but the politician-turned-broadcaster's colourful love life has made headlines over the years.

Back in 1999, amidst speculation about his sexual orientation, Michael revealed he had some homosexual experiences when he was younger. He discussed this openly during an interview with The Times, stating: "I will say what I want to say. I had some homosexual experiences as a young person." Michael, who was a young history student at Cambridge University at the time, spoke added: "I am now happily married. That is behind me now.

"I want to make it perfectly clear that all the time I have been in public life there has been nothing of this sort whatsoever. When the interviewer asked me if I had ever had any experiences at university I said yes."

Speaking about Portillo's openness about his sexuality, Nigella wrote in the Guardian: "If the original statement - that he'd had gay affairs in the past, that he did not regret them - seemed admirable, and the initial response to them - not such a big deal and hardly politically damaging - seemed cheering, it isn't.

"Call me naïve, but I really thought that we'd moved into an age where such things didn't matter. She added: "Who cares? Isn't honesty a better measure of a person's nature than his sexuality ever could be?"

That was when Nigella went on to admit that she had a bit of a thing for the presenter herself. "I'm the only person I know ready to own up to how attractive he is, in a very highly-charged sexual way," she wrote.

She went on to admit: "I'm not surprised when I read now of his rampant, sleep-with-anything-that-moves past. When I made a television programme with him once, I felt there was something shockingly, but enticingly, debauched about him."