Allan Little (1)

“Being a foreign correspondent seemed to me to be a way of indefinitely extending your adolescence without having to get a real job. It was hard work but it didn’t feel like working, it felt like being paid to go on adventures in foreign and exotic parts of the world that you learn an enormous amount from.”

Thus Allan Little, who will finally exit BBC News at the end of the year. 

Allan was born in Dunragit, Wigtownshire, and brought up in Glenluce; his father joined the RAF at 17, and there was an airfield at West Freugh, and regular bomb trials in Luce Bay. Allan went to Stranraer Academy where he was 'Captain' (left). He'd planned to study physics and maths at Edinburgh, but changed to history and politics in Freshers' Week.  He'd been reading "Inside The Third Reich" by William Shirer, CBS correspondent man in Germany in the 40s, and then found himself watching the BBC's Tim Sebastian on tv, covering the military coup in Poland. “There was only one reporter in the country when they sealed the borders, Tim Sebastian - he became famous because he was on every news bulletin for the next few weeks."

So to BBC Radio Scotland as a researcher (“Hated it, phone-bashing for other journalists”). His first Radio Times credits were on a BBC Scotland/BBC2 series called 'Open to question'. Allan's exit strategy was to secure a place on the BBC Local Radio Reporter scheme - some basic training, then two years learning on the job at Radio Solent.  Thence to the Today programme, one of many tyros looking for an assigment abroad. Justin Webb has noted "On the days when I was a reporter on the Today Programme in the 1980s there would be many, many more people – that was the upside – the downside was they would all be drunk."

In 1989, he was pleading with his editor Phil Harding to cover rapidly changing events in Eastern Europe. He'd been to Czechoslovakia in 1986 (to watch Hearts v Dukla Prague in the UEFA Cup - Dukla won on away goals), so when student trouble brewed in 1989, he could claim contacts and a previous visa. He got there in time for the nightly gatherings of demonstrators in Wencelas Square.....more to follow. 

K.O.

 Understated broadcaster Vernon Kay learning the perils of the big build-up....

tradingaswdr · Vernon Kay

Bunker mentality

 An article by BBC Media and Arts Correspondent David Sillito, "What happens if all the lights go out ? This is the plan for a 'Black Sky' event" has made waves in the field of 'emergency broadcasting'. 

David states "Only a small number of staff know the full details, but from what I have gleaned, about 100 people in the BBC will run a special emergency radio studio. It will have secure lines of communication not dependent on the internet, and fuel, water and food to ensure it can operate without resupply for at least three days."

On an insider's tour of the BBC Broadcasting House extension in the 70s, I was allowed to glance into two connecting sub-basement rooms - one with bunk beds, basic toilet and kitchen facilities, and shelves of tinned food;  the other with a range of LPs (long-playing records) next to a small studio desk with 'grams' (record players). I wasn't allowed to flick through the musical choices that might console a nation frying on the outside, but the first was by Alma Cogan. 

During my time in Broadcasting House, I got to know the identities of some of the chosen few (not 100) who would head 'downstairs' rather than out of the building to fend for themselves when the flag went up. I was never envious; the bunker still relied on external air, which in some forms of warfare could be a real problem. 

In later life, I became part of the project rebuilding a new Broadcasting House, largely on the footprint of that old extension. The demolition wasn't easy; we had to prepare for new 26m piles to be 'vibrated' into the ground. Did we have to use dynamite on the bunker ?  I might have been nearby when one Friday afternoon I heard our construction lead trying to reassure a shaken Director of Radio, and his description of the work underway was economical. 

There was no new bunker in the new build. 

Traitorous rising

The first episode of this year's The Celebrity Traitors on BBC1 has consolidated to 17.2m over the 28 days since first transmission. That's nearly double the initial overnight audience of 8.9m, and 1.5m up on the seven day figure. 

Sad and sorry

 

It reads like there's been a bit more hand-to-hand fighting over BBC Radio cuts than we might have guessed. Today's edition of Feedback is the first to reveal that Jonathan Wall, Controller of BBC Sounds, was also put in charge of all network speech radio in June - a role held by the Controller of Radio 4 and 4 Extra, Mohit Bakaya since May 2022. Presumably, by the time we get to the next transparent declaration of top salaries, we all be able to see some adjustments - Mo was ahead in 2024, and they were level in 2025. 

There was no news of a vacancy in June, but it's hard to understand why the change wasn't made public; TV made their move in 2020, putting iPlayer boss Dan McGolpin in charge of channels as well. 

Jonathan, (Altrincham Grammar, BA media and communications, Birmingham Polytechnic/University of Central England, and Diploma in broadcast journalism, Falmouth) was repeatedly "sad and sorry" about the cuts; he told Feedback "the decisions are being made by people who love radio, not by bureaucrats", and that the replacement for You and Yours would be cheaper, but the cuts were "about depth and volume, not quality".

On 4 Extra his line was "We will lean in to all the curation experiences we can do on Sounds that allow that joyful serendipity of content discovery". He was pushed into acknowledging that savings on rights with the closure of 4 Extra will mean a smaller archive on Sounds. 

Status report

Time has made it clear that Matt Brittin was really hoping for a Bigger Cheese to run BBC News.  Full Board positions were kept open - until he decided that Rachel Jupp was his best option. 

Ahead of Rachel's appointment, only three of the four 'executive' positions on the main board were fillerd - DG Matt Brittin, DDG Rhodri Talfan Davies, and Chief Financial Officer Bérangère Michel. 

Kate Phillips was confirmed as Chief Content Officer back in June 2025, by Tim Davie. She replaced Charlotte Moore - but didn't get a seat on the main Board until this Tuesday. CEO News Deobrah Turness was on the main board until November 2025.  

Flipping Clive

Smart guy, Clive Myrie, but, if he was writing his own scripts last night on the Six and Ten, I'd have taken a pen to 'flipping'. 

Historically, 'flipping' in the UK is principally used as a subsitute for profanities, where Americans would usually use 'fricking' or 'freaking'. In the 1990s, the Americans invented another use, in 'house flipping',  the practice of buying, renovating, and quickly selling a house for profit.

By the 2000 Presidential election (Bush v Gore), tv graphics had almost universally adopted the convention of mapping states as 'blue' or 'red'. It was then a short, sports-related hop to 'flipping' for changing colour. On this side of the Atlantic, we've stuck with 'win', 'lose', 'gain' and 'change hands'. And so should Clive.  

Rhuanedd again

As one of the trade papers puts it, Rhuanedd Richards, Director of BBC Wales, has been 'cemented' into her previously interim role as BBC Director of Nations. 

Rhuanedd, 52, was born in the Cynon Valley. Father Philip, though born in Nottingham, learned Welsh as an adult, and was involved in Plaid Cymru campaigning from the 1960s, whilst studying law. He became a barrister and a judge, and stood unsucessfully for Plaid three times. 

Rhuanedd went to nursery school in Aberdare with Dafydd Trystan Davies, now Plaid's Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution; and thence to Ysgol Rhydfelen, the first Welsh-medium comprehensive in South Wales; she became Head Girl. During A-levels, she hosted a  party gatecrashed by Kelly Jones, later lead singer of The Stereophonics, and managed to ensure his departure. She studied Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth, staying on for a year as President of the Aberystwyth Guild of Students, whilst also volunteering at Radio Ceredigion and presenting local BBC Radio Cymru bulletins. There she met future husband Stephen Fairclough. 

In 1996 she was given a BBC scholarship to study a Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism in Cardiff. She started her career as a journalist with BBC Wales, working as South West Correspondent and later Political Correspondent, and presenting Assembly Live, Dau o'r Bae, AMPM, Maniffesto, Good Morning Wales, Good Evening Wales, Politics Show, Newyddion & Sunday Edition.

In 2007, she was invited to become Special Adviser to the "One Wales" Welsh Government, working on communications for deputy First Minister and Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones. In 2011, after Plaid fell to third place in the Assembly Elections, Rhuanedd became Plaid Chief Executive, telling the party it must "broaden its appeal".  In 2012, she announced the election of Leanne Wood as leader: "Plaid is the only party which will ensure that the interest of Wales and its people will be advanced. I look forward to working with Leanne Wood as we continue the work of renewing the party."

In 2016, she left that process of renewal for a job as Special Adviser to the Assembly Presiding Officer, working for Elin Jones of Plaid Cymru.  Elin is the partner of tv producer Carolyn Hitt, whose company started Only Connect; Carolyn is now Head of Radio Wales and BBC Wales Sport, appointed in 2022. 

Elin Jones, Leanne Wood and Rhuanedd in 2012.

In 2018, Director of BBC Cymru Wales, Rhodri Talfan Davies announced “Rhuanedd is an accomplished and trusted leader with a deep understanding of Wales. She also has a real passion for radio and our Welsh language digital service - and I am delighted she is returning to BBC Wales to lead both Radio Cymru and Cymru Fyw."

In March 2021, Rhuanedd was appointed Director of Content & Services at BBC Cymru Wales; the new appointed Director of Nations and Wales, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said  “Rhuanedd is an exceptional leader and has made a huge impact since returning to the BBC almost three years ago."

In June 2025, Rhodri Talfan Davies stepped back from his role as Director, Nations and was replaced by
Rhuanedd Richards as Interim Director, Nations.  In turn, Rhuanedd appointed Garmon Rhys as interim Director Wales in the same month. 

Rhuanedd has Honorary Fellowships at Cardiff and Aberystwyth, where she is also deputy chair of the University Council. In 2024 she followed her father into the Gorsedd of Bards at the Pontypridd Eisteddfod. She became a Trustee of the RTS in January, also joining the Creative Industries Council.  She's on the management committee of Clwb y Bont, in Taff Street, Pontypridd CF37. 

The 2022 Geraint Stanley Jones Award for a contribution to music communication through broadcasting in Wales was awarded to Rhuanedd Richards, Director of BBC Wales.

Dame Jayne-Anne

The BBC Board has lighted upon The Virgin Banker as its business brains, replacing Sir Damon Buffini. At 6ft 2in sans heels, she'll measure up to DG Matt Brittin. 

Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, 65, starts her four-year term this week. She was born in Stourbridge; father was an electrical engineer, mother one of the first female bank tellers. She moved to Culford School in Bury St Edmunds as one of the early girls allowed into the independent boys' school. She left at 17, and spent a year in Diss unemployment office, getting a job there after signing-on. Thence to a BA in History at Royal Holloway College, where she met husband-to-be Ashok. They married while she was training as accountants at Ernst Whinney, precursor to EY; Jayne then joined Norwich Union. 

Then: “I met someone that worked at Virgin, and I had just been reading about Richard Branson and the way in which he did business differently, and I said “I’d love to be part of it” . In 1995 she became one of the founders of Virgin Direct, moving to Edinburgh.   In 2002, after six rounds of IVF, she gave birth to daughter Amy. There followed six more rounds and post-natal depression before conceding Amy would be an only child. Jayne-Anne worked for Fred Goodwin at RBS before a return to Virgin Money as CEO from 2007 to 2018.  She was a trustee of Sentebale, Prince Harry's charity, from 2008 to 2011.

In 2012 Jayne Anne led Virgin Money’s acquisition of Northern Rock before listing the combined business in 2014. In 2018, the combined Virgin Money business was sold, and Jayne-Anne joined Salesforce from 2019 to 2021. She left Salesforce to focus on her own fintech, Snoop, which was sold to Vanquis Bank in July 2023.

She's been chair of Dumfries House, still hq of The King's Foundation, and Chair of The Prince's Foundation. She says she know the lyrics to every Queen song. 

r & d

Matt Brittin, arriving from a tech company that's ready to spend $60 billion dollars a year on R&D, is presiding over a cut at the BBC. It's yet another sign that the current punishing round of budget slashing is systematic, with no protection for any particular department.  Divisions are taking out 'runts', rather than thinking strategically. 

Jatin Aythora is departing as Director of R&D and will not be replaced.  Bill Thompson, Head of Future Value Research & Principal Research Engineer, BBC R&D says this does not mean the department is being disbanded. "We are in the middle of a process of finalising the structure and operating model of the massive new Media Tech division, and we still have savings to sort out."

Perhaps Jatin felt threatened by the arrival in June 2025 of Manon Dave, on a deal which accorded him the title of Head of Future World Design.  A BBC spokesman said  "A smaller central R&D team will focus on long-term innovation, industry standards, future technologies and partnerships. R&D expertise remains highly valued across the BBC and the wider industry, and continues to play an important role in delivering our public service mission."