There is comprehensible shock within the BBC newsroom after former anchor Huw Edwards admitted little one pornography prices in courtroom final week.
And now, along with his profession decisively over, some former colleagues are lifting the lid on what a ‘difficult’ colleague he was over his 40 years on the Company – lengthy earlier than the scandal broke.
Final week Sir Craig Oliver, who was on the helm of BBC Information at Six and Ten throughout Edwards’ time, informed The World At One: ‘There have been, I feel, plenty of individuals who had been apprehensive about his behaviour . . . was he throwing his weight round and behaving properly sufficient to employees?’
This week I’m informed by a senior supply that the reality is worse than Oliver admitted. He stated: ‘Huw would spit poison about all the massive names. He was very jealous and a divisive determine. Now you suppose: ‘God, how dare he have behaved like this?’ He was jealous and would bad-mouth the entire different presenters. He was poison.’
Extremely-paid Huw Edwards (pictured in 2019) would complain bitterly in non-public concerning the pay minimize he was pressured to soak up 2018, following a row over gender pay inequality
One situation which rankled was Huw’s (left) perception that colleague Fiona Bruce (proper) massively outearned him – and that this was not mirrored within the BBC Annual Report, the latest of which confirmed he was paid between £475,000 and £479,999, whereas she was paid £405,000 to £409,999
Extremely-paid Huw, 62, would complain bitterly in non-public concerning the pay minimize he was pressured to soak up 2018, following a row over gender pay inequality.
One situation which rankled was his perception that colleague Fiona Bruce massively outearned him – and that this was not mirrored within the BBC Annual Report, the latest of which confirmed he was paid between £475,000 and £479,999, whereas she was paid £405,000 to £409,999.
Nonetheless Bruce’s earnings for reveals like Query Time, Antiques Roadshow and Pretend Or Fortune weren’t taken under consideration — as a result of they’re made by the BBC’s industrial arm, BBC Studios.
Edwards reckoned that each one informed, Bruce earned a cool million — twice as a lot as him — and he would level out he additionally did state occasions and elections for that cash.
‘Huw was at all times livid about his pay, in contrast with Fiona’s; and he additionally felt that the BBC fully invaded his privateness by disclosing it,’ a former colleague recalled.
But it surely was not simply Bruce who attracted Edwards’ ire. One previous colleague says: ‘Huw was the main mild, however he was very jealous of different individuals who had been up and coming. He would gossip and backbite. He was not the ‘father of the newsroom’. Though he might be very witty and humorous, a few of what he stated was removed from good.’
Edwards reckoned that each one informed, Bruce (pictured in 2019) earned a cool million — twice as a lot as him — and he would level out he additionally did state occasions and elections for that cash
BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty was described by Huw as ‘a menace’ and he noticed that colleagues ‘completely hate her imperious method’.
And Dan Walker – who has since departed for Channel 5 – was nicknamed ‘The Bishop’ by the anchorman; a sardonic reference to his Christian religion which noticed him refuse to do presenting work on a Sunday.
In Might 2021 the BBC began publishing a register of outdoor earnings for information presenters. Edwards was outraged, calling it ‘a gross invasion’ of his privateness, and a ‘whole farce’.
He was resentful, too, of the variety of profitable company presenting gigs taken on by others and stated: ‘Fiona Bruce will get away with homicide.’ (The newest register of outdoor earnings has no entries in any respect for Bruce over the primary three months of this 12 months.)
A spokesman for Bruce didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Edwards stated on a podcast in 2022 that he understood the BBC needed to deal with problems with pay and gender. ‘I have never acquired an issue with the precept of the choice,’ he stated. ‘I do have a view, which is unprintable, about the best way the BBC acquired itself into that place — and the best way that was allowed to develop — as a result of that basically is not any presenter’s fault.’
Showing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket final week, Edwards admitted prices relating to creating seven Class A, 12 Class B and 22 Class C indecent pictures of kids.
Prime Dogg on the Olympics
He is far faraway from the standard jock-ish sports activities broadcasters — and for that cause Snoop Dogg is proving to berankings gold on the Olympics.
The rapper and actor has doubled US viewers of the Olympics as NBC’s particular correspondent and is proving sensible at delivering powerfully entertaining moments to audiences, particularly youthful ones.
Sporting full driving gear on the dressage (and accompanied by Martha Stewart, offering ethical help as a result of he’s afraid of horses) was a spotlight; as was his non-public tour of the Louvre, throughout which he revealed he’s the Mona Lisa’s twin brother, Tony Lisa.
Snoop Dogg (pictured on the Paris video games) has doubled US viewers of the Olympics as NBC’s particular correspondent and is proving sensible at delivering powerfully entertaining moments to audiences, particularly youthful ones
BAFTA nominees like Emma should say in the event that they’re an ‘actor’ or an ‘actress’
BAFTA has dealt a blow to nonbinary performers, deciding – after spending two years debating the thorny query of ‘gendered’ performing classes – that awards nominees should decide a facet and select whether or not they wish to compete as ‘actors’ or ‘actresses’.
The announcement locations non-binary performers – like Emma Corrin, Emma D’Arcy and Bella Ramsey – in a difficult place.
Revised pointers launched final week say that movie producers should ‘affirm the gender/gender identification of every candidate for nomination’.
A supply provides: ‘It’s as much as the entrant which class they enter into.’
Following the choice in 2022 by their music counterparts the Brit Awards to go gender impartial, BAFTA revealed that they had been engaged in ‘proactive and considerate session’ with reference to gendered performing classes and had been chatting with ‘sector friends, business stakeholders and consultants’.
BAFTA has dealt a blow to nonbinary performers, deciding – after spending two years debating the thorny query of ‘gendered’ performing classes – that awards nominees should decide a facet and select whether or not they wish to compete as ‘actors’ or ‘actresses’. Pictured: Emma Corrin
The announcement locations non-binary performers – like Emma Corrin, Emma D’Arcy (pictured) and Bella Ramsey – in a difficult place
Revised pointers launched final week say that movie producers should ‘affirm the gender/gender identification of every candidate for nomination’. Pictured: Bella Ramsey
In the end, although, they opted to make no change, successfully shutting out the rising band of non-binary performers. (A BAFTA spokesman stated that whereas the actor and actress classes remained, the certificates and masks may carry the time period ‘performer’ if that was most well-liked by the winner.)
The Brits, in the meantime, not have gendered classes, akin to ‘Finest Male Solo Artist’ (a transfer extensively considered pushed by non-binary singer Sam Smith).
Adele, who received Finest British Artist in 2022, stated on stage: ‘I perceive why the identify of this award has modified however I actually love being a girl and being a feminine artist.’
Final 12 months there was outrage after the Finest British Artist shortlist was all-male.
In 2022, the Oscars and the Tonys additionally began consultations on the potential for gender impartial classes, however each organisations have retained their ‘Finest Actress’ and ‘Finest Actor’ classes.
BBC presenter’s spouse leaves couple’s firm after agency avoids chapter
The spouse of BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt has left their firm, simply days after they averted chapter. Anne Stayt resigned from Stayt Restricted on July 18.
Three days earlier, on the Excessive Court docket in London, Choose Sebastian Prentis allowed an HMRC chapter petition to be eliminated after listening to that that they had repaid £159,000 and made a deal to repay the £32,000 nonetheless owed to the taxman.
Anne Stayt, spouse of BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt (pictured final month), has left their firm, simply days after they averted chapter
Dame Maggie Smith needed Violet Crawley to be ‘killed off’, producer reveals
Gareth Neame stated: ‘Yearly, when one other sequence would come spherical, she’d say: “Oh cannot you simply kill me off?” So once we ultimately did, I feel a part of her might need been fairly relieved.’ Pictured: Cartoon of Maggie Smith
Downtown producer Gareth Neame says that it was a doddle persuading Dame Maggie Smith that her character Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, ought to meet her finish within the 2022 movie Downton Abbey: A New Period.
‘This was a very straightforward one, as a result of she used to search out the entire thing so draining at occasions,’ he stated.
‘Yearly, when one other sequence would come spherical, she’d say: “Oh cannot you simply kill me off?” So once we ultimately did, I feel a part of her might need been fairly relieved.’
Neame is presently making a 3rd Downton Abbey movie, however says that it simply wasn’t sustainable to make any extra TV sequence – although ITV actually needed them to.
Downtown producer Gareth Neame says that it was a doddle persuading Dame Maggie Smith (pictured as her character Violet Crawley) that the Dowager Countess of Grantham ought to meet her finish within the 2022 movie Downton Abbey: A New Period
‘We might spend a 3rd to half a 12 months in manufacturing. I knew that wasn’t going to be sustainable for ever. The actors needed to do different issues.’
Household heartache as Fiddler opens
The new manufacturing of Fiddler On The Roof on the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park is attracting rave evaluations. However there may be heartache for the household of Topol, the late actor who will ceaselessly be related to the function of Tevye the milkman.
Topol’s spouse Galia died on the weekend, simply days earlier than the official opening evening of the present.
Topol’s spouse Galia died on the weekend, simply days earlier than the official opening evening of the present. The couple are pictured collectively in 1935
So as to add to the poignancy, their granddaughter, Darya Topol Margalith, is making her skilled stage debut within the musical – enjoying Tevye’s fourth daughter Schprintze.
Fiddler has lengthy been a Topol household affair. Darya’s mom performed Chava – alongside her father – within the 1994 revival on the Palladium.
Galia and Chaim Topol had been married in 1956, and he turned a star because of the 1971 Norman Jewison movie of the musical.
The sound of cash . . . some huge cash
F. Scott Fitzgerald was fairly proper when he noticed: ‘The wealthy are totally different from you and me.’
Megabucks Tracy Anderson – Madonna’s health coach turned entrepreneur – hosted a dinner at her house in Sag Harbor final weekend to rejoice the launch of her new perfume, HeartStone.
Company on the home within the Hamptons on Lengthy Island, together with Hugh Jackman’s ex Deborra-Lee Furness and socialite Olivia Palermo, had been handled to the companies of a ‘sound healer’, who was readily available all through the night to ‘assist the visitors attain a better frequency’.
Megabucks Tracy Anderson (pictured) – Madonna’s health coach turned entrepreneur – hosted a dinner at her house in Sag Harbor final weekend to rejoice the launch of her new perfume, HeartStone
Saleka Shyamalan says making movie together with her father was ‘greatest present’
Saleka Shyamalan – daughter of filmmaker M. Evening – says it was a ‘dream’ and a ‘present’ to work together with her father on his new movie Entice.
Musician Saleka, 27, performs pop star Woman Raven within the movie, which opens right now, and wrote 14 songs for it.
Saleka Shyamalan – daughter of filmmaker M. Evening – says it was a ‘dream’ and a ‘present’ to work together with her father on his new movie Entice. The daddy-daughter duo are pictured collectively on August 1 throughout the presentation in Madrid of the movie
Talking on the London premiere, she stated: ‘It is such a blessing to have the ability to work with folks that you just love. The truth that he trusted me with this and needed to make it with me is simply the most important present that I’ve ever been given.’
From McLaren to Ralph Lauren: F1 driver Lando Norris lands perfume deal
British F1 driver Lando Norris is ready to affix worldwide sports activities stars together with Spurs captain Son Heung-Min and American tennis participant Ben Shelton as a celeb face of Ralph Lauren perfume.
The deal is within the offing however has but to be introduced.
British F1 driver Lando Norris (pictured final month) is ready to affix worldwide sports activities stars together with Spurs captain Son Heung-Min and American tennis participant Ben Shelton as a celeb face of Ralph Lauren perfume
Norris, 24, who was born in Bristol, turned the youngest ever British Formulation 1 driver at 19 and races for McLaren.
