You have to hand it to Rupert Murdoch. The BBC is in turmoil and now being led by Tim Davie, its former audio and music chief whose journalistic experience does not even run to making cups of tea at the Scunthorpe Gazette. Mr Davie needs help, especially as he fancies his chances of keeping the top job. So who is he turning to? Mr Steerpike is reliably informed that he’s being advised by his old mate Matthew Freud. That’s right: Rupert Murdoch’s son-in-law.
Our dynamic duo has not had the best start. Yesterday, Mr Davie filmed a car-crash interview with Sky News in which he revealed that his broadcasting skills did not even extend to being able to look into a camera or even finishing an interview before walking off.
And his management skills? He sidelined BBC’s Head of News, Helen Boaden, and her deputy, Stephen Mitchell, following the furore about the Newsnight/Lord McAlpine story (which neither were involved in having recused themselves after the Jimmy Savile fiasco).
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