Sunday, September 04, 2005

The Today programme's John Humphrys is to be investigated by the BBC about remarks he made to an audience of PR people. The remarks, which were part of a lighthearted speech, included saying about Peter Mandleson: "I said to somebody once, ‘why do you all take an instant dislike to Mandleson?’ and he said ‘well, it saves time’. He said, ‘he’s a hard man to dislike but it’s worth the effort’." Humphrys also said " I do get to interview Gordon Brown a lot, oh joy. He may or may not, we have yet to see, be a great Chancellor of the Exchequer, but by God he is quite easily the most boring political interviewee I have ever had in my whole bloody life, without any exceptions." Apparently not the sort of remarks the Beeb wants to hear from their 'impartial' political inquisitor. Still, given the fact that Louise Casey appears to have been promoted by Blair after making similarly offensive remarks, perhaps Humphrys could come out of it all unscathed.