Where the BBC right to sack Thatcher's daughter

[stuart.uk]

Just 3 months after the BBC suspended chat show host Johnathon Ross fro his involvement over the rude radio phone call to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, where Russell Brand crudely boasted about having sex with his grandaughter, the organization was hit by another scandel involving Carol Thatcher, the 50-something daughter of one time Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Carol, a well known celebrity reporter did her regular stint on The One Show. before going for an after show drink in the company's green room. There she was heard jokingly to make a remark saying a black French tennis player reminded her of a gollywog on a jam jar. It was then all hell broke loose with the shows host Adrian Childs and female stand up comic Jo Brand taking particulary offence. The BBC demanded Carol apologised, but she refused, claiming her remark was made in jest. She did later say sorry, but it was already decided to show her the door, though she was still retained for her other presenting jobs within the organization.

I wasn't there so it's hard to judge, but I do feel a certain sympathy for Carol. Even those who say it was correct she got the sack, say there's no way she's a racist. It was just a case of her letting her mouth get carried away. I think it's ironic that one of the people she offended, Jo Brand, is a stand up comic, whose homour is very near the knuckle and often crosses the line into crude vulgarity.

Was it in fact a racist comment, or was it just a jestful remark in a moment of madness. Or was it just a case of polititical correctness gone mad.

[charliechaplinfan]

I doubt this will have had coverage in America but for what it's worth I think Carol Thatcher was very silly/niave with what she said but I don't think she intended to offend anyone and I think her treatment was very harsh in wake of the Johnathon Ross, he was offensive and got off with a far lighter punishment.

Once again the BBC seems to be out of touch. Of course Carol is the daughter of Margaret Thatcher, that won't have worked in her favour.

[stuart.uk]

Alison

I did wonder if the fact Carol is Margaret Thatcher's daughter and that it erruped into a major scandel on the BBC might have turned into a global story

[charliechaplinfan]

I think the BBC is a left leaning organisation and not Thatcher fans, the name of Margaret Thatcher still provokes anger in the UK perhaps because she was a Thatcher might have provoked a knee jerk response by the BBC. My feelings are that it has been a massive over reaction and they haven't been evenhanded in dealing with Carol in wake of the Ross scandal. I know quite a few people who have joined the BBC blogg incensed at their decision. They don't have to worry about people like that but people like me who will not watch anything that Johnathon Ross is on.

[stuart.uk]

Personally speaking I'd feel more comfortable sitting having a drink with Carol Thatcher, rather than the ptoentially vulgar Jo Brand, one of the green room guests that took offence at Carol's remark. Carol to me is a journalist with a sense of fun. I'm not a great fan of Margaret Thatcher, but I do like Carol. Maggie to me was a prim and proper lady, but Carol strikes me as the exact oppisite, a journalist with a great sense of humour about her. I often wondered what her mother thought when she saw her daughter doing the likes of bronco riding on reality shows like You Bet

One journalist Carol Malone said that the people who complained they should take as much a look at themselves as Carol, whom she described as a silly girl, who was just gulity of letting her mouth run away with her.

I remember that TVAM took full advantage of having Carol on their books on the day Margaret left 10 Downing Street for the last time. They had a reporter on the inside.

While I've been critical of Maggie, but I'm looking forward to Lindsay Duncan's tv movie about her life. Though I've noticed that there'll be no Ronald Reagen, which surprises me. However, it'll be nice to see Rosemarry Leach again, when she plays The Queen

[charliechaplinfan]

Carol comes across as nothing like her mother on the surface, she doesn't seem hard as nails for instance. I have huge admiration for Maggie, she was Primeminister during my formative years I wish there was someone around like her now to lead us out of the mess.

[stuart.uk]

Alison

I'm afraid Maggie wasn't very poular north of the border. There was a doc on the subject not long ago which suggested because of her leadership, there was an increase in national feeling in Scotland, which helped pave the way for develution under Blair's New Labour.

I get the impression you're a rugby fan. Again it's been suggested there was a feeling of anti Englishness, due to Maggie using Scotland as an experiment with the Poll-tax, when Scotland played and beat England in that epic grand slam decider in 1990.

[charliechaplinfan]

I prefer rugby to football but know very little about it. When it comes to sports I prefer tennis and athletics. Andy Murray is Scottish but I'd be just be as made up if he won Wimbledon than if Tim Henman had won. From an English perspective it sometimes feels that the Scots and the Welsh still blame us for history. Scotland is represented hugely in Westminister. I do think when votes are going through parliament that just affect England it should be just the English MP'S that vote, that would be more in line with the Scottish and Welsh assemblies.

[ChiO]

To the best of my knowledge, the Carol Thatcher story received zero play in the States. So yesterday I started to ask a friend, born and raised in Newcastle, about it. As soon as I said, "Carol Thatcher", he said, "She's barking mad!" Then I told him what she said and he was aghast. So there's a vote for firing her.

[charliechaplinfan]

It was a private conversation and she did apologise, she displayed incredible niavety for a journalist. My gripe is that they didn't sack Johnathon Ross who purposely insulted an old man by leaving answer phone messages on his phone about his granddaughter's sex life and it was aired to the nation.

Carol was stupid and used an insulting description in a private chat, Johnanthon Ross was cruel and he said it to the nation, that is the bigger sin in my mind.

Interesting to know of your friends reaction Chio. Yes, Carol is barking mad it would appear.