Beard bumps

SHE’S conquered Civilisations. Now is Mary Beard about to get her seat on Front Row? The nation’s favourite classicist is, The Londoner gathers, expected to take over from Giles Coren for the next season of the TV arts show.

Beard was at the National Gallery last night for a special preview of the BBC’s flagship new series, Civilisations, which arrives on screens on March 1. She is one of its three presenters alongside historians Simon Schama and David Olusoga. BBC executives were keen not to talk about other engagements but we’re told she will be filling the seat vacated by Coren, who announced over the weekend that he will not return for the next series.

Beard is thought to be joining Coren’s co-anchors, BBC media editor Amol Rajan and radio stalwart Nikki Bedi.

The classics professor has carved a niche for herself as one of Britain’s favourite thinkers, befriending Hillary Clinton, speaking out against online trolls and curating a bronze exhibition at Frieze, all in addition to her TV projects such as documentaries Meet the Romans and the forthcoming Julius Caesar Revealed. Recent books Women & Power and SPQR have been bestsellers.

Beard remains coy on confirming the news. “Until the launch of Civilisations is done and dusted I’m not committing myself to anything on TV, she tells us. Can she at least put theatre fans’ minds at ease after the Coren controversy — he famously admitted he didn’t like going to the theatre? “You cannot be a classicist and NOT interested in theatre,” she replied.