Celebrity BBC Journos having their cake and speeching it

Getting paid to make after-dinner speeches is a luxury reserved for the few who’ve made it onto society’s head table.

At the tender age of 24, even I remember a time when humble BBC journalists and presenters were characterised by British restraint rather than decadent privilege.

So the news (reported in The Mail and The Telegraph today) that Fiona Bruce, Huw Edwards, John Humphreys, Evan Davis and John Humphries among others, are all on the books of JLA, Britain’s largest after-dinner speaking agency, should come as another hammer blow to my perception of the Beeb.

But does it really matter?

No. Editorial guidelines for BBC staff state: “It is unlikely to be acceptable for any BBC staff member or BBC correspondent to be included on an agency list of those for hire for public speeches.”

But ‘unlikely’ is the key. Those cautious guidelines were introduced post-Hutton Inquiry to prevent loud-mouths such as Andrew Gilligan from tarnishing the BBC’s record in commercial newspaper articles.

After dinner speaking is a different platform altogether. My uncle recently went to a corporate dinner where James Naughtie was speaking. He said that Naughtie, true to form, was totally balanced. Now let’s get’s back to hunting down those bankers.

BBC Trimble-ing in its Boots after University Challenge Spat

“We understand the allegations made and are taking the issue seriously. However we need time to investigate fully, so we will do so and report our findings early next week.”

Anyone would think the BBC’s press office was faced with another Sachsgate after Auntie issued that statement today.

Not so. This was her response to allegations today that Sam Kay, one of Corpus Christi College’s winning University Challenge contestants, was not a student for the duration of the contest, and was therefore ineligible.

Boffs in the headlines again: Kay (left) and Gail Trimble (third from left), have received a series of disproportionate responses from the commercial press, the blogosphere, and now the Beeb itself. Source: the Mirror

           At one time, the BBC might have shrugged off such a charge as trivial, but paranoia and a poor sense of perspective have crept in.

After all, Kay’s hardly an Oxford don: he was still a student during the first two rounds, and has since been working for Price Waterhouse Coopers. 

Maybe the accountancy firm’s renowned atmosphere of literary and scientific self-improvement gave him an unfair advantage though?

Matt Yeo, captain of fellow finalists Manchester didn’t seem to think so: “We hope any decision does not detract from what was a thrilling final won by a truly tremendous team.”

The BBC may “understand the allegations made“, but isn’t it “taking the issue” a little too seriously?