GQ editor: Jeremy Corbyn photoshoot was 'torture'
The Labour leader was "pushed around like a grandpa" by his aides as he shot his cover photo for the latest magazine.
Friday 1 December 2017 15:21, UK
Jeremy Corbyn's cover shoot for GQ magazine was "quite torturous" and "as difficult as shooting any Hollywood celebrity", the publication's editor has claimed.
The Labour leader is the cover star of GQ's January/February edition, under the headline "Jeremy Corbyn's hostile takeover".
The 68-year-old joins other famous names such as Liam Gallagher, Alec Baldwin, Cara Delevingne and the Duke of Cambridge to feature on the front of the magazine in recent months.
Dylan Jones, who has edited GQ for the last 18 years, has since described the "very intriguing" process of navigating the Labour leader's key aides, including his press chief Seumas Milne.
"The actual shoot itself was quite torturous," he told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme.
"It was as difficult as shooting any Hollywood celebrity.
"We've shot many politicians for our cover... but never have we encountered such a ring.
"Obviously Seumas Milne and his crew are very particular gate-keepers."
Mr Jones suggested the Labour leader's aides "didn't understand" that Mr Corbyn would need to be photographed, need to be "presentable" and "couldn't just turn up in his anorak".
"When he actually turned up for the shoot it was almost like he was being pushed around like a grandpa for the family Christmas photograph," he added.
"He wasn't particularly aware of what was going on. But we're very pleased with what we ended up with."
Despite GQ's reputation as a fashion bible for some, Mr Jones revealed the Labour leader was "adamant" he wouldn't wear anything other than a Marks & Spencer suit.
But Mr Jones, who has previously spoken of being a Tory voter and once wrote a biography of David Cameron, suggested there is an "air of authenticity" around Mr Corbyn.
In the magazine's interview with him, Mr Corbyn revealed he "wouldn't dream" of asking whether his top aide Mr Milne had voted for Brexit or not, despite the Labour leader campaigning for Remain.
He also said he would seek a relationship with Vladimir Putin if elected to Downing Street, despite being "strongly critical" of the Russian leader's human rights record.
Mr Corbyn added he would also meet with US President Donald Trump, in order to "ask him specifically about some of his views, including the wall in Mexico".
GQ has admitted there was "minimal retouching" of Mr Corbyn's cover image, which has been mocked by Tory MPs for its "stylised" appearance.