Stars, writers and presenters hit back at Lord Adonis over 'BBC on the ropes' comment
Industry figures have said the politician's criticisms of the broadcaster are "complete and utter tosh"
Media figures have leapt to the defence of the BBC after former Labour minister Lord Adonis sent a tweet saying the broadcaster was ‘on the ropes’.
In a tweet posted on Wednesday, Adonis wrote: “BBC on ropes. Sport largely gone to Sky. Quality drama gone to Netflix. BBC news increasingly Brexit, weak & simply Govt press releases. If Netflix set up a sharp, balanced News service, what would be left besides local radio, a desert island & a few good foreign correspondents?”
https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/963773567031750657
- BBC Breakfast had an all-female line-up as it celebrated the centenary of women’s suffrage
- A toast to the Today programme at 60 years
This message came after Adonis initially expressed excitement about the opportunity to appear on the BBC to discuss Brexit.
https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/963711200243716097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.co.uk%2Fentry%2Flord-adonis-bbc-gary-lineker_uk_5a847ad2e4b0058d55655a87
The attack on the BBC was quickly met with responses from actors, writers, presenters and media figures, from Gary Lineker and Nick Robinson to Dara Ó Briain and Dan Walker.
https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/963788730904563712
https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/963810334661402624
https://twitter.com/mrdanwalker/status/963812307531902977
Today presenter Nick Robinson challenged him on his comments, saying that the BBC had a duty to "hear from and challenge people you may dislike and/or fear".
https://twitter.com/bbcnickrobinson/status/963893933431455744
https://twitter.com/bbcnickrobinson/status/964035317501235200
Sports journalist Richard Conway challenged the idea that sport on the BBC is "largely gone".
https://twitter.com/richard_conway/status/963816968242515968
While Horrible Histories and Wrong Mans star Mat Baynton said that the BBC's "critical and commercial successes" were "watched all over the world".
https://twitter.com/realmatbaynton/status/963825527478943747
https://twitter.com/greg_jenner/status/963821456919547909
https://twitter.com/simonblackwell/status/963824985570717696
Jeremy Vine simply shared a photo of him dancing on BBC1’s Strictly.
https://twitter.com/theJeremyVine/status/963835487415922689
Enough said.