The Londoner: Beeb radio close to going off air during pandemic

In today's Diary: James Purnell reveals BBC Radio's coronavirus crisis / Will Young sees himself in the Archers / Nadine Dorries puts her foot in it / Jacob Rees-Mogg names Cicero as ideal podcast guest
Radio head: James Purnell, the BBC’s director of radio
Matt Writtle
8 September 2020

James Purnell has revealed that the BBC came close to shutting down some of its major radio stations because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Obviously, we would prioritise stations that were providing information and those with the biggest audience,” the BBC’s Director of Radio explained.

Radio 2 and Radio 4 drew 14 million and nearly 11 million listeners respectively in the last quarter of 2019. By comparison, Radio 3 had an audience of just over two million, with Radio 5 Live on around five and a half million.

Purnell said “At one point, we were planning to close down various stations,” but, he told RTS magazine, “because of the flexibility and ingenuity of our technical staff, we suddenly found that a lot could be done from home.”

Although stations kept broadcasting, Radio 6 Music did move to an “amended, streamlined weekend schedule” in March. Pre-recorded shows were used after 7pm on BBC Asian Network the same month. Both stations were reportedly set to be cut in 2010, but the BBC rowed back after a public outcry.

Purnell now strikes a more upbeat tone: “Overall, we’re broadly stable but listening time is up compared with before lockdown.”

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Will Young would like to spice up The Archers and thinks that the only gay couple are “so boring”. The singer told the Fortunately podcast: “I’ve wanted to star in either village fete or panto for years. I could probably inject some sort of humour into Ian and Adam’s life and let them see you don’t have to be so dull.”

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Noel EDMONDS and Arron Banks are at the centre of a bizarre feud, with Brexit donor Banks alleging that the former Deal Or No Deal kingpin owes him more than a million pounds. Now Andy Wigmore, Banks’s right-hand man, tells us: “We are confident he will cough up,” adding: “If not, prepare to see Blobby in court...” Crinkly bottom time.

SW1A

Nadine Dorries was the first MP to be diagnosed with coronavirus
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Health Minister Nadine Dorries today tweeted: “No one who knew anything about the pathology of Covid 19 ever said it would be over by Christmas.” She was reminded of the PM saying, in July, things could be back to normal for the festive season. Humbug.

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Jacob Rees-Mogg is a podcast fan (his is the Moggcast). His favourite is BBC Somerset County Cricket. “It’s heaven. One couldn’t ask for more,” he tells The House. His dream guest? Cicero. Very on-brand.

The final straw for Lily as her movie stirs things up

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Lily James showed off the trailer for her new film Rebecca and then sipped from what looked suspiciously like a Bloody Mary. “That’s that,” the actor wrote as fans got themselves in a lather about the updated version of the 1940 classic film. Meanwhile, in New York, Rebel Wilson found a very appropriate T-shirt to wear, and Francesca Hayward, a principal of the Royal Ballet, wore a tartan number at Venice’s Hotel Excelsior. Sharp.