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During 23 years with the BBC, and a 43 year journalistic career (when he was trained to use clear and simple language, avoiding jargon), for our Editor, Welshman Phil Parry, court cases have always been central, and this is underlined today by one of the biggest of all being underway now – Russell Brand on trial for alleged rape.
High-profile trials are usually reported in set ways, some of which are prescribed by law.
So, broadly speaking, you will hear the opening prosecution case (which may or may not be the truth) evidence of accusers, some of the defence (a legal requirement), star witnesses, the verdict and sentencing.
it must be published ‘contemporaneously’, and the audience should be made aware that this is only part of the trial, with more to follow.
That is why you will invariably see at the bottom of reports ‘the trial continues’.
We have seen exactly this (the first bit anyway), in the extraordinary case of Russell Brand.
Mr Brand faces three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women, in allegations spanning 10 years from 1999. He denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
We have heard at Southwark Crown Court (SCC) that he transformed into a “monster” when he allegedly made a woman take half-naked photographs of him before raping her in a hotel room at a Labour party conference.
Regrettably for the BBC this case will have only deepened past woes, because Mr Brand was a regular performer for the giant corporation.
The BBC (where I was for 23 years) is under scrutiny as never before after an astonishing series of scandals (which DID take place).
A celebrated Welsh figure has been at the centre of a storm of controversy at the BBC (Wynne Evans), but despite this a journalist at BBC Radio Wales Breakfast had asked: “Would Wynne Evans be available to speaK to us anytime between 7-9am?”
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However Mr Evans was informed soon afterwards: “Unfortunately we won’t be able to come to you tonight for a considered interview and do justice to the story and. for obvious reasons we won’t be able to offer a live interview tomorrow morning on radio”.
Afterwards a bemused Mr Evans told his followers online: “Yesterday I was offered an interview on Radio Wales and BBC Wales News about the BBC process and my new show. I emailed the director of BBC Wales (Rhuanedd Richards) to say I’d be delighted to do the interview ………weirdly after my email to the director they then emailed to say they didn’t have time to do it justice …..also for obvious reasons. I’m not sure what the obvious reasons are.”….
Perhaps the ‘obvious reasons’ refers to earlier controversies. He apologised over an obnoxious “spit-roast” comment – but denied that it was a sex slur.
Queries following the string of issues were sent before Christmas 2024 but apart from automated messages saying the requests for information had been received, there has been no response whatsoever, even though they had directly followed the alarming Gregg Wallace business.
As with Mr Evans, it was reported that Mr Wallace was stepping back (although it may not have been entirely voluntary for Mr Evans), but in this case it was from his role on MasterChef (MC) while allegations of historical misconduct were looked into.
An investigation by BBC News revealed that he is facing allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people who worked with him over a 17-year period.
Channel 5 was also examining accusations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by the presenter while making the programme ‘Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends’ in 2019.
More alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’ came to light afterwards, and BBC News has reported about the corporation: “It’s the last thing it needs, so soon after other high profile scandals including the disgraced BBC News presenter Huw Edwards. The BBC has questions to answer about the allegations over what it knew about Wallace’s behaviour on and off set, and – if it was alerted to these types of allegations – what it did about them. BBC News has been made aware of two occasions when complaints were made. One, by the radio host Aasmah Mir, related to Celebrity MasterChef in 2017.”
One Welsh former senior executive with the corporation said to me earlier: “The BBC is attempting to display decisiveness after the Huw Edwards & Savile scandals to help restore its public image. It’s cosmetic.
On the Wallace incident it was claimed that we saw: “Another slap on the wrist from weak executives who’re afraid to sack talent & put ratings first. He’s finished and the Beeb managers who let him carry on should be fired”.
All of this came on the back of many other terrible episodes where the BBC has made unfortunate news.
We have had the Amanda Abbington/Giovanni Pernice incident on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, involving accusations of bullying and harassment.
There has also been the One Show and Match of the Day (MotD) presenter Jermaine Jenas episode, where once again there have been allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’, with reports saying, for example, that one female member of staff received unsolicited communications via text from him.
We have been treated to the Huw Edwards affair, and the Jimmy Savile scandal (which the former executive mentioned), with the full extent of what Savile did only emerging relatively recently.
Let’s start with the information about Ms Abbington – the BBC says it assessed and “upheld some, but not all” of her complaints about her time on Strictly, after she pulled out of the show and claimed later that there was a “toxic environment”, as well as that she had been subject to “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying”.
In saying sorry, the massive corporation proclaimed: “We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made. We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do”.
It also said in the apology statement that the BBC expects “…very high standards…”.
Mr Jenas, too, faced claims of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ and was sacked from the BBC over allegedly sending ‘unsolicited’ texts to junior members of staff. Reports have claimed that one female worker received unsolicited communications via text from him which were supposedly ‘flirty’. Others then came forward according to The Sun. However, the source added there was “no suggestion of illegality” on Mr Jenas’s part.
Let’s not forget the incredible Jay Blades business. The Repair Shop star was accused of illegal acts in relation to his estranged wife, with the allegations including physical and emotional abuse, according to court documents. West Mercia Police (WMP) said he was charged after they were called to an address, following an Instagram post by Lisa Zbozen. A repeat of David & Jay’s Touring Toolshed was removed and the BBC will not show any programmes in which he features. He pleaded not guilty to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour.
After everything that has happened, it seemed reasonable, therefore, to ask the BBC which programmes could not now be transmitted.
This is the (extremely polite) request i put in to their Media Office (MO) on December 19 2024, and I was encouraged because on the BBC’s website it is declared: “Enquiries from journalists will be responded to as quickly as possible”.
Hello.
I am Editor of a news website called The Eye.
Could you please answer the following questions:
1. In the light of the Gregg Wallace, and other affairs, what, if any, programmes are now not to be transmitted, and how many of them are there?
2. What, if any, changes have been made to your Whistleblowers’ Charter, and what are the dates of these?
3. What, if any, changes have been made to your safeguarding policies, and what are the dates of these?
Statements can be made by return to this address – it is checked constantly and is totally secure.
Thank you,
Phil Parry
To date, though, there has been NO reply apart from two automated messages saying that the requests had been received.
Perhaps these sort of questions are too difficult to handle now after such a long time, and when Mr Brand’s trial for alleged rape (which, of course, is continuing) has hit the headlines…
The memories of Phil’s astounding, decades long award-winning career in journalism (including his 23 years at the BBC), as he was gripped by the rare neurological disabling condition Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major book ‘A Good Story’. Order it now.
Next week – new evidence is emerging that one of the most significant migrant populations in the UK is European (although black), with Somalis among the most prominent – which could be especially relevant to Wales because its capital, Cardiff, houses one of its largest communities.
