Whilst the wider world ruminates on the cultural significance of moving BBC3 online, do not underestimate the impact within upper floors of Broadcasting House of the news that Front Row, on Radio 4, and uber-critic and presenter Mark Lawson are parting company, after sixteen years.
Mark's presenting duties on the BBC go further back, to the Yentob-commissioned Late Show on BBC, which morphed in Late Review, before being semi-absorbed in Newsnight.
Front Row, only-begotten child of Kaleidoscope, is generally (apart from Russell Crowe days) a most civilised show - and one can't imagine Mark would give it up voluntarily, though today's announcements are at pains to stress "agreement".
Back in January, The Sunday Times reported that a petition signed by 15 members of the Radio Arts Unit had been presented to Graham Ellis, Controller of Production and Deputy Director of Radio. The Guardian's take this evening is that Lawson, who also writes for the Guardian, is understood to have denied any suggestion of bullying, though acknowledges there were editorial arguments.
Mark will now be able to make more use of his Northampton Town season ticket, and spend more time tracking the fortunes of his beloved Leeds United FC.
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I am very sad to hear this as Front Row is one of the few BBC R4 programmes I still make a point of tuning in to on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteMost of the rest of the output I happen to come across when I switch on my radio, then I soon seem to switch off/retune after a general curse in the direction of the set. I bet poor Mr. Roberts wonders what he has ever done to me.