All the recent news stories about Peter Woods reminded us that the powers that be at the BBC once pulled the plug on one of his news bulletins because he was slurring his words.
He was not the only newsreader to come under such suspicion; people used to tune in to News At Ten for the fun of seeing whether Reggie Bosanquet could make it though a bulletin without disaster.
And let us not forget Lieutenant-Commander Thomas Woodrooffe’s description of the Spithead Review of 1937 when it was not just the fleet that was lit up.
There was official disapproval of such incidents, as I suspect there would be today if a professional presenter were involved. This is not the case when it comes to obvious hangovers however, when presenters, guests & contributors to radio phone-ins boast of the severity of their symptoms, invite us to admire their fortitude & pass on our congratulations or commiserations as appropriate.
It is change in this kind of social attitude, not marginal adjustments to price, which will be needed to make Britain a more sober state.
