Jeremy Vine pays for 10 adults to learn Welsh
JEREMY VINE has provided funding for 10 people to complete a six-month course in Welsh.
The BBC Radio 2 presenter came under fire on social media last year following criticism about a contributor’s remarks during a discussion about the Welsh language on his daytime programme.
Today Mr Vine will address the issue by having a Welsh lesson live on air in front of his more than six million listeners.
But it has also emerged that the television and radio host has further promoted Welsh-language education by funding adult Welsh-learners.
Aran Jones, a leading Welsh-language campaigner who was to give Mr Vine his on-air lesson, revealed the presenter paid for 10 people to complete a six-month course with his company Say Something in Welsh.
Say Something in Welsh support staff member Beca Brown said: “He’s funded the course for 10 people out of his own pocket and obviously he has invited Aran on his show to teach him as much Welsh as possible in 10 minutes.
“We like to communicate and speak to people about their misconceptions about the language and about Wales so Aran sent articles to him over Twitter.
“I don’t think he expected to get any response but Jeremy Vine was obviously interested.
“They started talking and Jeremy expressed an interest in Welsh and an interest in learning a bit of Welsh as well.”
A row erupted at the end of last year when a discussion about the Welsh language from an earlier Jeremy Vine show was repeated.
In the piece, a contributor from Pontypridd reiterated a tired theory that people in pubs switch from English to Welsh when non-Welshspeaking strangers walk in.
Mr Vine came under fire on Twitter after some people compared speaking Welsh in Wales to using French in France, and he responded by asking: “Is France in the UK?”
Say Something in Welsh had been advertising a scholarship paid for by an “anonymous benefactor” for a number of weeks.
Aran Jones revealed the benefactor was in fact Mr Vine in a tweet, writing: “STILL seeing some people giving @theJeremyVine grief about Welsh – learning some live on air isn’t enough?!
“I was asked not to say this last month, but I think it’s okay now – he’s also the guy who paid for TEN people to do our 6 month course (starting our whole scholarship idea)”
The BBC has confirmed that Mr Vine had provided funding for the courses.
A spokeswoman said: “I can confirm that the tweet is correct and tomorrow’s Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 will feature an item on learning Welsh.”