Pope: I will speak only to Jackson

The Vatican has revealed that now his initial round of media appearances are over, the new Pope will speak exclusively to East Midlands Today broadcaster Natalie Jackson.

In a statement released in the traditional Latin, Pope Francis announced ‘Ego sum iens gingiber’ – I am going ginger.

The Pope’s decision is believed to have been influenced by recent exclusive interviews Jackson successfully carried out with Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies and his chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi.

Jackson told us: ‘I am looking forward to meeting Pope Francis and confessing my sins… err, I mean showing off my skills.’

Media commentators have reacted with surprise at the news but one analyst, the renowned Phyllis Stein, told us: ‘I am intrigued about this move from His Holiness.

‘A lot of journalists won’t be happy about it, but personally I’m looking forward to hearing the Pope asked such searching questions as “Have you always believed in God?”, “How does it feel, as a man, when people blaspheme?” and “How holy are you really? I mean really…”’

The BBC say Jackson’s first round of interviews with the Pope will be broadcast on their religious programme Laity Kick Off and Jackson has apparently been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access at the Vatican.

Pope Francis will also be taking Jackson to his home in Buenos Aires where he will talk her through the weekly reports he prints off for God and show her the video editing suite he uses to analyse recent masses.

Meanwhile, the Pope has denied rumours that he is shunning other journalists because of things they reported about him in a previous life.