TalkRadio’s Mike Graham doubles down on viral claim that ‘concrete grows’

An interview between a spokesperson for the climate activist group Insulate Britain and a talkRADIO host on Tuesday became very awkward very, very quickly after host Mike Graham boldly claimed that concrete can grow.

But unchastened, Graham has since returned to the airwaves for the second time on Tuesday in an attempt to rectify his statement – and subsequently, his doubling down dug himself a much bigger hole.

In conversation with afternoon host Jeremy Kyle, he tried to insist he meant that concrete can physically grow - despite making his initial claim during a discussion about trees.

“Now if you were, for example, describe the economy growing,” he said to Kyle. “Would that be something you would say had to be planted?”

“It would expand and grow – because you have growth in the economy. You don’t actually plant the economy in order for it to grow.”

“They’re all going ‘he’s so stupid, he doesn’t know that concrete doesn’t grow.’ I mean, do they really think that? They actually think that,” Graham added, referring to the “lefties” who called him out on his blunder.

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Tuesday morning’s interview got off to a rocky start when Graham asked Cameron Ford, a member of Insulate Britain, the protest group “what he’s glued to” - an obvious reference to the scenes of protesters glueing themselves to roads to stop traffic.

But Ford didn’t see the funny side of this and responded to the question by saying: “Err...just your screen, unfortunately.”

“Unfortunately?” asks Graham in response before asking him what he did for a living. Ford explains that he is a carpenter.

Graham then asks if carpentry is safe for the climate. Ford explains that he works with timber which he says “is a much more sustainable material than say, concrete.”

Graham interjects and ponders if working with timber from trees is actually that good for the environment. Ford responds to this by saying that it is sustainable because “it’s regenerative, you can grow trees.”

Graham comes back by saying: “You can grow all sorts of things? Can’t you?” Ford chimes back: “Well, you can’t grow concrete?” Graham then boldly claims that you can grow concrete.

What follows next is seven seconds of pure and agonisingly awkward silence between the two before Graham decides to cut the interview off and bidding Ford a “cheerio.”

Needless to say, this couldn’t have gone more wrong but no one is doubting that it was sensational radio and unintentional comedy gold. Some were also confused as to why the station would promote a clip where their host claimed that concrete could be grown.

TalkRadio, perhaps in response to the comments, has since shared a link to a New Scientist article about living concrete that can be grown from bacteria.

Well done to everyone involved. Just wonderful stuff.

Whether you agree with Insulate Britain or not, you’ve got to agree that they certainly pushing buttons.

Now, where’s the nearest concrete tree?