BBC
The Spectator’s Notes
The conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd makes last summer’s Black Lives Matter mania in British…
Simon McCoy’s warning shot to the Beeb
It was just a fortnight ago that the BBC’s grumpiest new presenter Simon McCoy announced he was off to join…
Cooking the books
Agatha and Poirot was one of those programmes that had the annoying effect of making you feel distinctly snooty. ITV’s…
Faux fury against the race report is unsurprising
Back in the 1960s, my brother, Asim, and I were smitten by the magical Manchester United trio of Law, Best…
Why Gen-Z is turning its back on the BBC
Do 16-34 year olds still watch terrestrial TV? More importantly, will they still be watching in a year’s time when…
Intelligent design
In Our Time is the best thing on Radio 4, possibly the best thing on the radio full stop. It…
Clive Myrie, the BBC and the trouble with Ofcom
Ofcom’s tight grip on current affairs broadcasts has been likened by some observers to a choking collar. Clive Myrie, one of…
Why is going to Oxford being held against me?
Should going to Oxford be held against you? In my experience, some employers think it should. A month before the…
Lightbulb moments
Last Saturday on Radio 2 Claudia Winkleman was inaugurated as the host of what was formerly Graham Norton’s mid-morning spot.…
Joining the dots
‘History,’ wrote Edward Gibbon, ‘is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.’ In…
The BBC licence fee hike adds insult to injury
In these chill winter days it’s good to know that at least one old lady is warmly wrapped up. The…
The BBC is failing the Test
Michael Vaughan might disagree but — putting aside 2005 and all that — was there a more thrilling and satisfying…
Bar-room ballet
Thank God for the fast-forward button. Sadler’s Wells had planned a tentative return to live performance last month but the…
The truth about the new BBC chairman? He won’t make much difference
The ‘pre-appointment hearings’ system overseen by parliament’s select committees doesn’t exactly set the heart racing; a pale imitation of the…
Why Tesla has to be a better bet than bitcoin
Which is madder, bitcoin at $41,500 — oops, make that $31,000 on Monday — or Tesla shares at $880 apiece?…
Englishness vs California dreaming
On Archewell Audio, Harry and Meghan’s new podcast, ‘love wins’, ‘change really is possible’, and ‘the courage and the creativity…
Diary
Real men are not supposed to confess to feeling fear. But I am frightened, second time round, about the plague.…
Richard Sharp will not lead a BBC revolution
If you wanted to start a revolution would you choose an Oxford educated multi-millionaire banker to lead it? Not the…
The BBC should be ashamed of its reporting on trans teenagers
This is an article about some difficult, complex subjects: suicide, mental health, support for transgender children. It’s also about something…
Plato beats the pundit
Today presenter Nick Robinson has been reflecting on the political interview. He contrasts his interviews with scientists about Covid with…
Diary
It is such a relief that Dominic Cummings has gone. Not for the sake of the country or the government…
Who’s laughing now? Cancel culture is killing comedy
The BBC and Channel 4 are self-censoring their comedy output because they are so terrified of offending people. So says…
An ego the size of Botswana
It’s touch and go whether the theatre will survive this latest assault. Some venues have pushed back their entire programme…
Twin peaks
There must be some people somewhere who vaguely know their own spouses — but if so, they don’t tend to…
The Spectator’s Notes
As time passes, there is — blessedly — ever less need to pay attention to ‘untold’ stories about Diana, Princess…
