Carol Vorderman says TV industry is full of ‘snobbery’ and country is in ‘absolute mess’
Presenter Carol Vorderman has said the television industry is full of “snobbery” and working-class people have increasingly turned to social media.
In her alternative MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Friday, she said they feel the industry does not represent them.
The 63-year-old former Countdown star said social media was “decimating” the TV industry “with good reason”, citing Ofcom figures.
Research published by the media regulator last month found that less than half of young people watch live television in the average week.
Viewers aged between 45 and 54 have also begun to turn away from linear television, with viewing rates in the age group falling from 89% to 84% in a single year.
She said people “feel lost” and the “filter of the news, the filter through which they get their information is one which isn’t recognised by them”.
Vorderman also said: “Our industry is an industry of snobbery: regional snobbery, class snobbery and educational snobbery, and don’t even get me started on the political issues.”
She cited research from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, which found under 10% of people from the TV, video, radio and photography sectors were from working-class backgrounds last year.
She also claimed that after “14 years of austerity and lying by the privileged political class” the country was in an “absolute mess”, and the TV industry “must accept part of the responsibility for that too, including the riots”.
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The maths expert, who grew up in poverty in Wales, said trust in the BBC is “declining” because of the way “people feel after so many controversial decisions by BBC management”.
She cited the furore over Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker‘s social media posts about the previous government, and former news presenter Huw Edwards who pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children.
Vorderman quit her BBC Radio Wales show last year due to tighter rules around social media posts.
Since leaving the broadcaster, she has presented a regular phone-in slot on LBC.
As part of her address, the radio host also took aim at Nigel Farage‘s inclusion in last year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here line-up, saying his involvement contributed towards “normalising” his views.
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Earlier this week, ITV‘s managing director Kevin Lygo defended the decision to include the now Reform UK leader as part of the show’s line-up.
“The audience is smart enough to make up their own mind,” Mr Lygo said.
Entertainment
MasterChef presenter John Torode says allegation he used racist language upheld in report
Entertainment
Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter substantiated, including one of unwanted physical contact
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.
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