Alan Yentob shows himself as a man incapable of admitting his failings
On Thursday, The Financial Times’ popular and usually excellent column ‘Lunch with The FT’ opted for Alan Yentob as its dining companion.
In doing so, the paper’s columnist gave Yentob – a man whose tenure at the BBC has brought with it significant decline and a man now best known for his links to the disgraced “charity “Kids Company – another opportunity to pontificate and in that regard he did not fail.
Naturally, for the interview, Yentob opted to dine at the River Café and naturally its owner Ruthie Rogers happens to be “one of his dear friends”. There are star dropping references to how he’s been “at Alan Rickman’s funeral” and his chums David Attenborough, John Birt, Stephen Fry, Harold Pinter, Philip Roth and Orson Welles get mentioned too. “If name dropping were an Olympic sport”, suggests the FT’s Henry Mance, “Yentob would be suspected of doping”.
“Opportunities to interrupt Yentob are like turnings off American freeways: if you miss one, there is often a long wait” according to Mance whilst when the TV executive was asked about his excessive £300,000 salary as creative director of the BBC, he is reported to have screwed his face “with indignation”.
The worst example of Yentob’s arrogance, however, is found when he is confronted about his connections to the dastardly Camila Bamanghelidjh and Kids Company. Instead of humbly admitting he was wrong to support this scam, Yentob expresses “regret we closed”. He claims he “didn’t know” about the Grade II listed mansion with a swimming pool paid for by the charity and concludes he will “carry on being driven by curiosity and friendship” A man plainly incapable of accepting responsibility for his own choices, Yentob is nothing but a man of straw. For that reason, we make this nitwit our Wally of the Week.
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He should be locked up.
As I was saying to Jimmy Savile some while ago – ‘ If you are going to make a mistake; you may as well make a big one ‘
I am far from impressed by him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Batman woman, however, has been set up!!!!!!!!!!!
When I looked at his photo, those words of George Orwell came into mind my – ‘at 50 every man has the face he deserves’
I also though of Shelley – ‘whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read’
Above all, I thought ‘he reminds me of someone, but who?
Although I don’t like this man and think he was at best a self opinionated tosser and at worise a deluded, gullible fool, I wouldn’t call his salary of £300,000 excessive in BBC terms. They were paying that idiot Jonathan Woss £6,000,000 and he can’t even speak properly!
The BBC is an outdated unneeded organisation in today’s society, in its current form. There needs to be a massive shake up from top to bottom, salaries cut and redistribution of their money if they are to continue and the licence fee lowerring to by at least 50%. They have to turn over all information on Saville and other perverts and paedophiles that have been connected to the BBC.
Shows like Eastenders are a complete waste of money and so called actors are overpaid to distract the public from reality with pathetic storylines. Not to mention the other 90% waste of money programs where all participants are vastly overpaid!
If it can’t be reformed and costs lowered then it should be disbanded.
I always found the arts dox on BBC spoiled by Yentob’s presence, eternally waddling into shot while telling us about David Bowie’s nursery school experiences – and with his evident need to be friends with his subjects, he proved himself to be little more than an autograph hunter on steroids.
Agree with all. It is a sorry state of affairs.
Rod, you imbecile. What on earth are talking about?
Always thought how true the ‘face’ quote is…love Orwell but didn’t realise he said it. Thanks.