Ephraim Hardcastle
HAS Prince Harry’s departure further postponed the already long-delayed unveiling of the Kensington Palace statue of his mother Diana? Commissioned to mark the 20th anniversary in 2017 of her death, it was originally scheduled for last spring, then delayed until May. In July William told a well-wisher it would be seen ‘very soon’. In October a royal source confided: ‘It’s not a short-term project… The dukes want to ensure that this enduring monument is completely right.’ Fingers crossed we’ll see it before Diana’s 60th birthday next year.
COMEDIAN David Baddiel arrives at Broadcasting House yesterday to discuss his new Holocaust denial documentary, only to discover the BBC expecting Holocaust denier David Irving. The receptionist didn’t know who he was. Tweets Baddiel: ‘I showed her a photo of him on Google and said, “OK, well if he turns up claiming to be David Baddiel, don’t let him in”.’
LORD Sugar is mocked for seeking a new Rolex, tweeting: ‘Rolex are only interested in Roger Federer and won’t assist my usual dealer to get me the watch (Batman).’ Gary Lineker sarcastically responds: ‘My thoughts are with you at this difficult unable to tell the time.’
RADIO 4 Today editor Sarah Sands, pictured, preparing to take the show on a northern tour, is still being talked about for her request to Prince Harry when he guestedited the programme in December 2017. Could he persuade his granny the Queen to provide the daily horse racing tips? He declined.
SINCE relinquishing the editorship of The Oldie in 2014, Richard Ingrams has been berthed in the calmer backwater of The Lady magazine. As founder of Private Eye, he invented the Street of Shame expression ‘You’re fired – Ed’. Sadly, Richard has just been fired as cartoon editor of The Lady.
DONNING rose-tinted spectacles to recall life at the BBC 50 years ago, former political correspondent John Sergeant tells Radio Times: ‘There was even a BBC cow, kept in a dairy in west London.’ Was that perchance in the age of the Nine O’Clock Moos, John?
WORLD At One presenter Sarah Montague, happily trousering £400,000 in back pay, learns that the budget for her programme will be slashed. A source reports that ‘£400,000 would fund about eight BBC reporters for a year’. Shouldn’t the BBC be paying more people less rather than wading through the current financial mess over presenters’ wages?
ANN Widdecombe shoots herself in the foot on Any Questions, declaring: ‘The BBC produces a lot of tripe, let’s be honest.’ Responds Labour politician Vaughan Gething: ‘Oh, I loved Strictly Ann, don’t do yourself down.’