BBC swapped quality for equality, says Boycott
SIR GEOFFREY BOYCOT T has accused the BBC of sacrificing “quality for equality”, saying the corporation was so beholden to political correctness that presenters were frightened to voice an opinion.
The former cricketer left the BBC’S Test Match Special in the summer after 14 years when his contract was not renewed. The BBC brought in new blood including Isa Guha, the former England women’s cricketer, Sir Alastair Cook, the recently retired England great, and current player James Anderson. The changes have not been universally popular, with many listeners missing Sir Geoffrey’s forthright views.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph to mark his 80th birthday, Sir Geoffrey said: “They have sacrificed quality for equality. It is now all about political correctness, about gender and race. When you work for them you are wary and frightened of saying anything. It is a minefield out there and that is sad.
“I think long after I am dead there will be a government come along and it
‘When you work for them you are frightened of saying anything. It is a minefield out there and that is sad’
will take away the BBC funding and they will have to go private, out into the real world like ITV and Sky. It is not run particularly well.”
Sir Geoffrey also spoke of his sadness over a BBC interview last year which he agreed to do because he thought it would be a celebration of his knighthood. Instead, he said, he was “sandbagged” when the presenter, Martha Kearney, brought up his 1998 conviction for domestic violence.
“It spoilt it. It was sad. It took away some of the enjoyment. It should have been one of the nicest days of my life,” Sir Geoffrey said. “I was sandbagged and set up. They asked if I would come on the next morning to talk about [the knighthood]. You get it because of something you have done publicly, like my cricket and commentating, so I felt I had a duty to speak to the public.
“You think you are doing the right thing, but all they were interested in was bringing up the court case. I have talked about it so many times but that is all they wanted to talk about. That was upsetting… you expect better from the BBC, don’t you? But it’s not the BBC it used to be.”
Sir Geoffrey also spoke about how his 2002 cancer diagnosis changed him. He said: “I get cross, mad and angry like I always did, but I get over it quicker. I think, ‘Hell, does it really matter?’”