MPs to grill former BBC chiefs over Bashir’s Diana interview June 10, 2021 MPs will next week grill two former director generals of the BBC in the wake of a scandal over Martin Bashir’s interview with Princess Diana. Lord Hall and Lord Birt will be hauled in front of the culture select committee on 15 June to answer questions about the events leading up to the explosive 1995 [...]
Boris Johnson announces Royal Yacht Britannia replacement May 30, 2021 Boris Johnson has announced that a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia will be built and operational within four years. Downing Street last night unveiled the plan, which will see the new ship “host high level trade negotiations and trade shows and will sail all over the world promoting British interests” as a part of [...]
Euro 2020: TV audience hits 31m as England lose on penalties July 12, 2021 Just under 31m people tuned into England’s Euro 2020 final loss last night, making the heart-wrenching fixture one of the largest TV audiences ever recorded. Viewer numbers peaked at 30.95m during the tense penalty shootout against Italy at Wembley, which was broadcast on both the BBC and ITV. An average of 29.85m people watched across [...]
Jeremy Paxman diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease May 21, 2021 Legendary broadcaster Jeremy Paxman has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The 71-year-old journalist and University Challenge presenter said he had been receiving “excellent treatment” and that his symptoms were “currently mild”. “I can confirm I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. I am receiving excellent treatment and my symptoms are currently [...]
Ofcom calls for BBC to take on ‘independent’ expertise as part of editorial review May 24, 2021 Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has tonight written to the BBC urging it to take on independent advice from broadcasting experts as part of its review of its editorial policies and governance following the Martin Bashir scandal. The broadcaster today announced that it would carry out the review to make sure the scandal could “never happen again”. [...]
Mohamed Al Fayed: Tributes paid to former owner of Harrods and Fulham FC September 2, 2023 Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed has been described as “an extraordinary tour de force” after his death at the age of 94. Mr Al Fayed, who was owner and chairman of Fulham Football Club for 16 years, died on Wednesday. His family announced on Friday he had “passed away peacefully of old age”. Paying [...]
Internal BBC review clears broadcaster over rehiring of Martin Bashir June 14, 2021 A hasty internal investigation carried out by the BBC has cleared the broadcaster over the rehiring of reporter Martin Bashir in 2016, but highlighted “shortcomings” in the process. An inquiry into Bashir’s appointment as religious affairs correspondent found there was no evidence he was hired to cover events surrounding his notorious 1995 interview with Princess [...]
Henry Kissinger: Former US secretary of state dies aged 100 November 30, 2023 Henry Kissinger, the US secretary of state who dominated foreign policy under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, has died aged 100.
Government and Covid test supplier Novacyt row over £150m PCR contract May 21, 2021 A major supplier of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 testing kits is in dispute with the government over a £150 million contract. Novacyt developed one of the UK’s first coronavirus testing kits in January 2020, subsequently working alongside AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Cambridge in April last year. It led to the signing of [...]
Exclusive: The Crown has a new Queen Elizabeth – we meet Viola Prettejohn December 2, 2023 We interview the actor playing the Queen in the final part of The Crown