David Dimbleby has been praised for speaking about the world's "distrust" in politicians during a "superb" interview on Good Morning Britain.
The BBC veteran said the "huge distrust of politicians" amid the coronavirus pandemic and the US election has stemmed from the "weird time" of the Iraq war.
He said Boris Johnson has never been "totally trusted" which created "great difficulties" for the Government from the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.
"We were talking about Blair and Bush and the pretty weird time when we went to war against Iraq with the country as a whole, millions of people against it, and somehow we got landed in it," he told GMB.
"I think there's a huge distrust now about politicians and I think it has its origins in what happened during the Iraq war.
"For the first time really, on a major scale, the country turned out to have been deceived about the reasons for the war - the weapons of mass destructions that weren't there.
"Masses of people thronging the streets and complaining about it, and the prime minister saying 'no, no, we've got to go to war' because there are weapons of mass destruction - and there turn out not to be.
"And not only not to be, but also both Bush and Blair had been told there weren't any, but ignoring it."
He explained: "I think back then was when we began to get this feeling that we just don't believe our politicians and I think Boris Johnson has been landed with that from the start for reasons to do with his private behaviour and things.
"He's never really been totally trusted. People admired him, they obviously voted for him, but I think that this Government has found itself, from the start, in great difficulties and it hasn't really recovered."
Social media users rushed to praise Mr Dimbleby for his "fascinating" interview, with many delighted to hear his views.
One Twitter user said: "Honestly one of the best interviews I have seen in a while. Refreshing to hear David Dimbleby’s opinions on politics, current affairs and life after the BBC."
Another wrote: "David Dimbleby is a fascinating man. I really enjoyed this interview, I could have gone on listening for hours."
A third said: "Broadcasting royalty. Superb interview."
A fourth wrote: "With *everything* needing to be partisan at the moment, it's refreshing to hear someone build an opinion formed from multiple sides of the discussion.
"More David Dimbleby on our screens please."
Another said: "In a single extract from an interview, David Dimbleby sums up all that I feel and have felt during the whole Covid period."
Speaking about the pandemic in the UK during the interview, Mr Dimbleby said he does not believe his generation should be "sacrificed".
"I think that in some way the young should behave in a way to protect us is insidious," he said. "I can't bear the sight of those students locked up in their halls of residence.
"I don't think my generation should be sacrificed. I feel grateful that people think we ought to survive.
"But I'm sad for young people, I'm sad for people locked in tower blocks with children with maybe just one person looking after them. It's desperate."
