Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BBC: No TV licence amnesty
Director-general says deferring scheme to spring is ‘too costly’
THE BBC has brushed off calls for a six-month TV licence amnesty for over-75s.
Campaigners had called for pensioners stripped of free licences in August to be given until the spring to stump up the £157.50 fee.
However, Director-general Tim Davie rejected the plan – and highlighted the increasing numbers of over-75s securing licences.
In a letter to Silver Voices director Dennis Reed, who called for the Covid-19 amnesty, Mr Davie said: “More and more people are now getting a licence – 2.34 million who have paid and over 700,000 who have claimed free licences.”
The BBC is charging millions of pensioners for TV licences after the Government ditched a promise
RADIO 1 DJ Clara Amfo is stretching herself physically and mentally to get into character on Strictly.
Clara, 36, said to embrace her sexy side she needs to adopt her “Clara 2.0” alter ego which is “slightly more sassy than the original”.
Two weeks ago she shrugged off a wardrobe malfunction and she and pro partner Aljaz Skorjanec are a big hit. She to protect the benefit. Only over-75s who get Pension Credit are eligible for free licences.
Licence fees were shelved by two months this summer to August 1.
But Mr Davie writes: “We could not afford to defer the scheme for any longer.” Mr Reed said: “We are sad and disappointed.”
Over 18,000 readers have backed our campaign to save the lifeline. is even looking forward to criticism from the judges as “I’ll know I’ve truly arrived if Craig says something harsh to me”.
Clara, dancing the Charleston to Julie Andrews’ version of Baby Face this week, is struggling to get enough sleep when juggling Radio 1 and dance training.
But she does insists on finding time for stretching. She said: “I’ve never stretched so much in my life. At any given moment I’ll happily stretch my limbs.”