Sharps

Entertaining times in the conference rooms of Broadcasting House; will chairman Richard Sharp sit through a whole meeting of the Nominations Committee or the Main Board without having to be asked to step outside while they talk about him ?

Yesterday Lord Patten made it clear that Mr Sharp wouldn't be a welcome member of the "Club for Former BBC Chairmen".  Mr Patten probably knows more about another Richard Sharp, who preceded him as fly-half in the Balliol Rugby Union team. They also played college cricket together, with Patten claiming to be a 'pretty fast' bowler, and Sharp behind the stumps. Mr Sharp opted to stand up at the wicket after Patten's first two deliveries in the same match; Patten took the hump, and an even longer run-up. Sharp was unmoved and stumped the batsman.