First up, under the Imagine banner, is Julien Temple's film about the cultural and social history of Rio de Janeiro, running at a cinematic 105 minutes, and billed as Rio 50 Degrees: Carry on CaRIOca. It still apparently requires an intro from Alan. Next Sunday night.
Then, on Tuesday, comes Imagine - Philip Roth Unleashed. This long-awaited edition of Imagine (most of it filmed in March 2013, when Roth celebrated his 80th birthday with a trip to his hometown of Newark) is apparently so good it's worth two programmes. Which may or may not help with the Imagine cost-per-hour budget (Series Editor Alan Yentob).
It's been a long journey for the Roth/Yentob experience. I offer this from the Telegraph in 2009, when the BBC had a previous "Arts" surge, with the creation of an Arts Board and an Arts Commissioner. Brave interviewer Serena Davies asked Alan about the criticism that many of his programmes featured friends.
Yentob says the flak he’s had for nepotism is “a bit ridiculous really. First of all, I’ve been around a long time: I know a lot of people.” Which seems fair comment after his 40 years at the BBC, as everything from trainee to Director of TV; although he’s not averse to the occasional name drop. But he says he’s turned down friends too – such as Philip Roth.
Both Yentob and Roth are Jewish, a topic the latter rarely speaks about. “We were going to do something together,” Yentob says. “And then Philip said, ‘No Jew talk, Alan.’ And I said, ‘Well, f--- off Philip.’ You see: I can’t be bought.”
So, Roth’s not coming to BBC One anytime soon....
Then, on Tuesday, comes Imagine - Philip Roth Unleashed. This long-awaited edition of Imagine (most of it filmed in March 2013, when Roth celebrated his 80th birthday with a trip to his hometown of Newark) is apparently so good it's worth two programmes. Which may or may not help with the Imagine cost-per-hour budget (Series Editor Alan Yentob).
It's been a long journey for the Roth/Yentob experience. I offer this from the Telegraph in 2009, when the BBC had a previous "Arts" surge, with the creation of an Arts Board and an Arts Commissioner. Brave interviewer Serena Davies asked Alan about the criticism that many of his programmes featured friends.
Yentob says the flak he’s had for nepotism is “a bit ridiculous really. First of all, I’ve been around a long time: I know a lot of people.” Which seems fair comment after his 40 years at the BBC, as everything from trainee to Director of TV; although he’s not averse to the occasional name drop. But he says he’s turned down friends too – such as Philip Roth.
Both Yentob and Roth are Jewish, a topic the latter rarely speaks about. “We were going to do something together,” Yentob says. “And then Philip said, ‘No Jew talk, Alan.’ And I said, ‘Well, f--- off Philip.’ You see: I can’t be bought.”
So, Roth’s not coming to BBC One anytime soon....
- The Hay Festival, with added Yentob, seems to have been messed about by some of this scheduling. Will the Rio film still attract an audience six days after transmission ? Will they flock to Francine Stock in conversation with Alan, plus Roth clips, and "a special screening" after it's been on BBC1 ?
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