Nick Clegg does not watch Coronation Street or EastEnders, appears not to be a fan of The X Factor and cites a French film as one of his favourite movies in an interview on the Liberal Democrat leader’s viewing habits.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg

Mr Clegg, whose popularity is thought to have surged following the first of the live TV leaders’ debates last week, told the Radio Times that he listens to “a bit of rousing opera, Rachmaninov or Johnny Cash “.

While Gordon Brown has been in touch with Simon Cowell and David Cameron was photographed dining with him, Mr Clegg was not making overtures to the music mogul.

He stated “none of the above” when he was asked to pick from the list of X Factor judges – Cowell, Cheryl Cole , Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh.

Asked to choose between big-budget sci-fi movie Avatar, Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker, Carey Mulligan’s An Education and political satire In the Loop, he opted for French film The Class instead.

Mr Clegg also plumped for Jonathan Ross over fellow broadcasters Sir Terry Wogan and Graham Norton.

Asked in the Q&A whether he enjoyed Coronation Street, EastEnders, The Archers or The Bill, he stated “I don’t watch or listen to any of these, I’m afraid.”

Mr Clegg, who has already said he is a fan of Channel 4 show Come Dine With Me, said he allowed his children to watch around 45 minutes of TV a day but that, when growing up “his mother was strict when it came to television.

“We didn’t watch half as much as people at school, which was a big source of resentment,” he said. “But we were allowed to watch anything with animals in like Lassie, Black Beauty and BBC nature documentaries.”

Mr Clegg said his listening habits included Classic FM, Radio 2 and Radio 4 but that he would not inflict Radio 4’s flagship political programme Today on his children.

He said: “I only listen to the headlines, or if I’m brushing my teeth I might have it on, but I don’t think it’s fair on them if we have it on over breakfast.

“If there are interviews I think I should catch up with, I just listen again later on the computer.”

He criticised television news for its coverage of the “ya-boo politics of Westminster” saying “things have moved on” and said he would like more news coverage of Europe.

He told the magazine: “I just think it’s a bit odd that you get this forensic analysis of the Obama healthcare bill, which has much less direct bearing on our lives than what the French are doing about immigration or banking, or what the Germans are doing about energy policy with Russia.”