Nicola Sturgeon says ‘raw vulnerability’ in The Assembly interview showed different side of her

Nicola Sturgeon has said her appearance on the STV show The Assembly sparked more raw emotion than any political interview she has given before.

The former Scottish National Party leader said the experience was “totally unique” compared to the television interviews she has taken part in throughout her political career.

Speaking about the programme, she said: “There was no spin; just raw vulnerability on both sides.”

“I felt exhausted and really drained, but in a good way. It was a genuine rollercoaster of emotions – one minute I’d be laughing and the next, crying.”

“There were a couple of points when I felt quite overwhelmed. For example, when I started talking about the baby I lost to a miscarriage, the tears just started to flow, and I didn’t think I was going to be able to stop.”

She added that the experience showed the value of answering questions openly without worrying about how comments might later be interpreted.

“What I took from it was how cathartic it is to open up emotionally to a group of people with no agenda other than hearing honest answers – and to give my answers totally instinctively, without first putting them through the filter of how they might translate into hostile headlines.”

Sturgeon said the programme allowed viewers to see a more personal side of her than they may be used to from her years in frontline politics.

“I really valued getting to open up and show a different side of myself. I am someone who naturally wants to wear my heart on my sleeve, but for a long time, my job and the kind of interviews I did meant that I had to be serious and guarded and keep my emotions in check.

“In this interview, I hope the viewer will see the human being much more than the politician.”

Asked to describe the experience in three words, she said: “Emotional. Fun. Inspiring.”

Sturgeon also praised the members of The Assembly who conducted the interview.

“The Assembly members were brilliant. It’s not easy for anyone to put themselves in the TV spotlight – especially in today’s world – but the guts and the passion shown by them were incredible.

“They don’t need advice from me, but I do want them to know how much they inspired me. If I am forced to give any piece of advice, it would be: don’t listen to armchair critics. You are role models, so stand tall and be proud of what you have achieved.”

Looking ahead, she said she would like to see more politicians take part in the programme – including the UK prime minister.

“More politicians. Keir Starmer, maybe? The reason? I think The Assembly is in many ways the ultimate test for a politician. Can you relate on a deeply human level or not? And if you can’t, you should probably find a new job.”

The Assembly returns on Wednesday April 8 (10.05pm) and Friday 10 April (10pm) on STV and the STV Player.