Solidarity

Spotted: two of Britain's top quiz meisters stroking their (respective) beards not far from Broadcasting House yesterday. Jeremy Paxman, University Challenge (And Newsnight) deep in conversation with Russell Davies, Brain of Britain (and Radio 2, at present). No idea of the discourse, but producers of UC will be looking for on-screen continuity for the next series - so that may be cut-off point, as it were, for the holiday bristles, still making Page 3 news for the BBC-obsessed Daily Mail. Ah, the joys of radio...

Meanwhile, Russell may, or may not, be pleased to know there's a petition to stay the axe over his Radio 2 Sunday evening show, due to fall at the end of September, with erudite support and contributions from the UK and around the world. Here's one..

The history of 'popular song' is "our " history; this is a fascinating programme, made by someone with a broad and deep knowledge of his subject; it's informative and entertaining. This sort of excellence is exactly the reason why I pay a Licence Fee to the BBC: I can get the ordinary anywhere (and, increasingly, everywhere). Must we really lose this degree of knowledge and experience? I am so frustrated that the BBC would do this.

At R2's Western House HQ, rumours of further schedule changes, and possibly more petitions, still rumble, ahead of the "new term".

News beards

So Paxman came back from holiday (Guantanamo ?) and the beard stayed. I'll try to let you know what it did for the Newsnight ratings...

Expect a response soon from the C4 news team...

Beardy

Your first day in charge of BBC News - and trouble comes from an unexpected quarter. Not relations with politicians, tricky leaked documents, whistleblowers, and the sort of thing you've been steeled up for.

No. Paxman is back from his hols with a beard. In the previous century, reporters and presenters used to do this rather a lot, producing much chuntering from management, and, after a period of bravado, usually ending up with a quick visit to a changing room for a close shave just before transmission.

Will James Harding care ?

Here's an old piece of photoshopping from the Evening Standard in 2003 that suggests he might...

Liver-ish

Mark Thompson seems to have more fun away from the BBC, judging by this picture from the Daily Echo in Bournemouth.

He told students at Bournemouth University that there's a difference between the BBC and a restaurant. His argument: in a restaurant, if you see liver on the menu and you don't like it, you just don't order it. "We are like a restaurant where if you see liver on the menu, you say ‘I don’t like liver, that’s disgusting and it should be taken off the menu' "

Beards

Is it possible to combine long-term success as a football manager with a beard ? The Roy Keane experience suggests the growth was a cry for help; as an Everton fan, I'd argue that Rafa is as consistent about facial hair as he is about team selection. Anyone else remember top-flight bearded managers ?

PS For me, Prince Michael of Kent went down the royal league table of esteem when that beard - strangely Keane-like - started to flourish.