The BBC should be Auntie Woke!
ENOUGH! Nigel Rees quit over ‘interfering’ diversity drive
ONE of the greatest comic minds behind almost everything decent that the BBC has ever put out is John Lloyd.
You may not know his name but, depending on how old you are, you’ll know the stuff he’s been a part of.
Not The Nine O’Clock News, Blackadder, QI, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy may all ring a bell.
Likewise, he was one of the architects behind Spitting Image, invented BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz and collaborated on the hugely successful book 1,411 Quite Interesting Facts to Knock You Sideways.
He also helped invent yet another show for Radio 4, Quote… Unquote.
Like QI, it’s a high brow quiz that manages to keep thick people like me happy by being headily laced with humour.
But now, after 46 years on the airwaves, it has come to an end.
The 77-year-old told the Sunday Times: “We had prescriptions to have diverse groups and disabled guests.
“I went along with it because I had to. It came from upstairs and it seemed to be a general priority.”
He said he felt it was “patronising”, not least to the people who might have felt they were only on the show as they were “ticking a box”.
Confirming his departure, he concluded: “I am not willing to go on having my choices interfered with in order to tick boxes in the name of diversity and representation.”
And with that, Mr Rees left the building.
And along with him, millions of devoted listeners who will surely be tempted to turn away from the Beeb.
Why do they do this? Why does Auntie keep shooting herself in the foot?
No one in real life has ever shook their head while watching EastEnders and wondered why there weren’t even more disabled black lesbians in it.
Just like no one apart from Nish Kumar has ever thought about having Nish Kumar presenting a “topical” comedy show about the news, either.
They keep churning out shit that most people hate – Mrs Brown’s Boys, anyone? – while getting rid of the things we actually like.
This is why the BBC is buggered. It no longer has its finger on the pulse of Britain.
Brits always have a moan, but we also enjoy a laugh and taking the piss out of ourselves.
More of that, and less woke madness, and the Beeb might just save its future from itself.