Post by Teddy Bear on Dec 14, 2008 22:11:59 GMT
What you've got to wonder about when you read this story, is not that this guy got fired, but just how he was hired in the first place. I can't say I'm familiar with him as a presenter, but if his comments and comparisons to Jonathan Ross's situation are anything to go by, his 'insights' and 'perceptions' leave lots to be desired.
When you think of the power that the media has, and that little minds like this are making the assessments that will affect what people believe to be the truth - heaven help us!
When you think of the power that the media has, and that little minds like this are making the assessments that will affect what people believe to be the truth - heaven help us!
BBC has treated me worse than Jonathan Ross, says 'Posh Ed' after Today sacking
By Simon Mcgee and James Tapper
Today presenter Ed Stourton has lashed out at the BBC after he was sacked from the Radio 4 show – saying his family believe he has been treated worse than Jonathan Ross.
Stourton, who learned of his dismissal from a rival journalist, compared his ‘ten years’ unblemished service’ with that of Ross, who was suspended after making an obscene prank phone call.
The 51-year-old – nicknamed ‘Posh Ed’ for his cut-glass accent – said he was ‘miserable’ and was left ‘winded’ after his editor confirmed that they were letting him go after a decade on the show.
The BBC has said he will be working on ‘other projects’, but he dismissed that as a euphemism, saying he found it ‘difficult’ to see what he would do next.
He is being replaced by the BBC’s North America editor Justin Webb.
Mr Stourton said: ‘Some of my family have pointed out the contrast between what happened to Jonathan Ross over his remarks and what happened to me for ten years’ unblemished service to the BBC. He was suspended. I was sacked.’
He has received messages of support from his co-hosts John Humphrys, James Naughtie and Evan Davis, as well as the public.
He added: ‘My colleagues hadn’t known, either. I had a very supportive phone call from John almost immediately after hearing the news, a very nice phone call from Jim and got an email from Evan.’
Mr Stourton said he had ‘no idea’ whether accusations that his accent was too plummy affected his dismissal.
‘I was completely unprepared for it,’ he said. ‘A newspaper journalist asked me on Thursday whether rumours of my departure were true and, when I checked in with my editor, I found out they were.
‘At the time, I was standing in the car park of the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. Not a great way to find out. Today presenters don’t get sacked – most of them leave when they retire or die. I was expecting to do Today for years to come and had invested my professional energies into it.’
Mr Stourton, who read BBC1’s One O’Clock News for six years before joining Today, added: ‘I felt a bit winded when I found out and I’m still trying to come to terms with it. But there’s no point me trying to change that, whatever my personal feelings. They want Justin to do the programme. They don’t want me. That’s it.
‘I’m not going to pretend that I’m not miserable about it, and it would be very odd if I wasn’t.
'The difficulty is that when you have done the Today programme for ten years and made that and Radio 4 your home, to the exclusion of other things like telly, it’s quite difficult to see what happens to you. I’m very uncertain about things. It’s not a great place to find oneself.’
Mr Stourton is off air until after Christmas but will go on working until his job ends next September. He admitted: ‘It’s going to be really difficult to continue presenting the programme knowing I’m leaving.’
Senior BBC sources said Ed Stourton was forced out because he failed to respond to demands for Today presenters to take part in more light-hearted banter on air.
The BBC denies this is further evidence of ‘dumbing down’ and says it is intended to encourage a ‘more lively atmosphere’.
One insider said: ‘Ed wasn’t really comfortable with it. He has a more laid-back style and what was wanted was a bit more energy.’
A documentary about Today revealed all the presenters except Stourton had played conkers live on air. And newsreader Charlotte Green collapsed into giggles when James Naughtie likened a scratchy recording to a ‘bee buzzing in a bottle’.
Stourton observed snootily: ‘There were two bits of radio history being made there – and one of them I’m sure you will recognise was Charlotte Green.’
Another example of Today’s ‘lighter’ tone came when a new programme was described as a ‘brand new spanking show’. Evan Davis quipped: ‘I think he means brand spanking new show. How disappointing.’
And when Strictly contestant John Sergeant snubbed a request to appear, John Humphrys said: ‘He didn’t return my calls. You expect Prime Ministers to do that.’
By Simon Mcgee and James Tapper
Today presenter Ed Stourton has lashed out at the BBC after he was sacked from the Radio 4 show – saying his family believe he has been treated worse than Jonathan Ross.
Stourton, who learned of his dismissal from a rival journalist, compared his ‘ten years’ unblemished service’ with that of Ross, who was suspended after making an obscene prank phone call.
The 51-year-old – nicknamed ‘Posh Ed’ for his cut-glass accent – said he was ‘miserable’ and was left ‘winded’ after his editor confirmed that they were letting him go after a decade on the show.
The BBC has said he will be working on ‘other projects’, but he dismissed that as a euphemism, saying he found it ‘difficult’ to see what he would do next.
He is being replaced by the BBC’s North America editor Justin Webb.
Mr Stourton said: ‘Some of my family have pointed out the contrast between what happened to Jonathan Ross over his remarks and what happened to me for ten years’ unblemished service to the BBC. He was suspended. I was sacked.’
He has received messages of support from his co-hosts John Humphrys, James Naughtie and Evan Davis, as well as the public.
He added: ‘My colleagues hadn’t known, either. I had a very supportive phone call from John almost immediately after hearing the news, a very nice phone call from Jim and got an email from Evan.’
Mr Stourton said he had ‘no idea’ whether accusations that his accent was too plummy affected his dismissal.
‘I was completely unprepared for it,’ he said. ‘A newspaper journalist asked me on Thursday whether rumours of my departure were true and, when I checked in with my editor, I found out they were.
‘At the time, I was standing in the car park of the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. Not a great way to find out. Today presenters don’t get sacked – most of them leave when they retire or die. I was expecting to do Today for years to come and had invested my professional energies into it.’
Mr Stourton, who read BBC1’s One O’Clock News for six years before joining Today, added: ‘I felt a bit winded when I found out and I’m still trying to come to terms with it. But there’s no point me trying to change that, whatever my personal feelings. They want Justin to do the programme. They don’t want me. That’s it.
‘I’m not going to pretend that I’m not miserable about it, and it would be very odd if I wasn’t.
'The difficulty is that when you have done the Today programme for ten years and made that and Radio 4 your home, to the exclusion of other things like telly, it’s quite difficult to see what happens to you. I’m very uncertain about things. It’s not a great place to find oneself.’
Mr Stourton is off air until after Christmas but will go on working until his job ends next September. He admitted: ‘It’s going to be really difficult to continue presenting the programme knowing I’m leaving.’
Senior BBC sources said Ed Stourton was forced out because he failed to respond to demands for Today presenters to take part in more light-hearted banter on air.
The BBC denies this is further evidence of ‘dumbing down’ and says it is intended to encourage a ‘more lively atmosphere’.
One insider said: ‘Ed wasn’t really comfortable with it. He has a more laid-back style and what was wanted was a bit more energy.’
A documentary about Today revealed all the presenters except Stourton had played conkers live on air. And newsreader Charlotte Green collapsed into giggles when James Naughtie likened a scratchy recording to a ‘bee buzzing in a bottle’.
Stourton observed snootily: ‘There were two bits of radio history being made there – and one of them I’m sure you will recognise was Charlotte Green.’
Another example of Today’s ‘lighter’ tone came when a new programme was described as a ‘brand new spanking show’. Evan Davis quipped: ‘I think he means brand spanking new show. How disappointing.’
And when Strictly contestant John Sergeant snubbed a request to appear, John Humphrys said: ‘He didn’t return my calls. You expect Prime Ministers to do that.’
