Isn't it a perilous thing, this messing with the BBC? As soon as the boot goes in from Murdoch – James the younger – up pops Peston, ranting, swearing, fighting for Auntie, as he did during that contretemps in Edinburgh last week. All of which has been carefully noted by the bods who have hired veteran newsreader Peter Sissons to review his time at the Beeb for the Media Society in London on 30 September. Since leaving, Sissons – who was castigated for wearing an insufficiently sombre tie while announcing the Queen Mother's death (burgundy, not black. I mean, really!) – has attacked the BBC for falling standards, ageism, surrender to political correctness, cowardice … the charge list is endless. And he only retired in June. Helping him share the happy memories will be Andrew Harvey, another newly departed BBC person, whose tenure at the internal magazine Ariel saw it shift from Pravda-style cheer sheet to voice of the disgruntled. Even loyal Pesto might struggle to shut them both up. Still, if anyone can, it's him.
JOHN MAIR
Thursday 3 September 2009
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