New BBC sexism row as Whistle Test snubs Annie Nightingale
IT WAS meant to be a glorious celebration of one of the most loved television rock shows of all time. But a one-off revival of The Old Grey Whistle Test has plunged the BBC into a new sexism row after Annie Nightingale revealed she was snubbed over the special.
Although she hosted the legendary show between 1978 and 1982, bosses refused to let her co-present Friday’s live special on BBC4. Instead, ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris was the lone frontman.
Nightingale, 77, tweeted: ‘I requested 2 co-present with Whispering Bob. This was turned down. For 5 yrs as solo anchor I brought in punk, new wave and electronic acts who wished not 2 appear with prev prsenter [sic].’
Harris, 71, hosted the live marathon, which marked 30 years since the series ended on BBC2. He chatted to guests including Joan Armatrading, Gary Numan and Dave Stewart.
A six-minute section of the three-hour programme looked back at some of the highlights from Nightingale’s years as host.
Broadcaster Liz Kershaw, whose brother Andy worked on the show, said last night the shortage of female presenters and guests on the special was ‘bewildering’.
She criticised the BBC for not only sidelining Nightingale but also for ignoring fellow female Whistle presenter Ro Newton. She said: ‘I found the whole thing bewildering… like a tribute to Bob Harris, not the show. I think there was sexism there. There were only four women guests on the sofa. Where are the women? It was just one bloke after another. Ro Newton wasn’t even mentioned.
‘Annie Nightingale got her three minutes, as did the other male presenters. But for some reason Annie wasn’t in vision. Is that because she is 77 and Bob is only 71. I was amazed to see at the end that the three main people who made that programme were women. It’s like an episode of [the BBC satire] W1A.’
The news comes as the BBC is engulfed in a gender pay row. A Corporation spokesman said: ‘Any suggestion of sexism is completely unfounded.
‘We were delighted Annie featured in Friday’s programme, and last night to celebrate her outstanding music career BBC4 rebroadcast Annie Nightingale: Bird On The Wireless.’