A NEW wave of diversity-obsessed muppet executives at ITN had been waiting for months for an opportunity to force out Alastair Stewart, one of our greatest ever newsreaders.
He was too old school, too male, too white, too opinionated and, at 67, far too old.
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Despite being a distinguished professional, he didn’t tick any of the PC boxes that now drive decision making at the broadcaster.
But by forcing him out over a tweet that so clearly wasn’t racist, ITN has set a very dangerous precedent indeed.
Here are the facts...
Alastair ran an incredibly feisty and robust Twitter account, often engaging in heated debates that were often ill-advised. But with his shifts at ITN having been reduced, it provided him an outlet to express himself.
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In his feud a fortnight ago with a well-known left-wing irritant called Martin Shapland, an ex-Lib Dem staffer who happens to be black, he quoted a line from the Shakespeare play Measure For Measure.
In full it said: “But man, proud man, Drest in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he’s most assur’d; His glassy essence, like an angry ape, Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven, As make the angels weep; who, with our spleens would all themselves laugh mortal.”
It is a line he has used on Twitter many times before during arguments.
The only difference this time? Shapland decided to whip up the response into an issue of racism, sending various tweets complaining about Stewart’s conduct to ITV, ITV News and Tell Mama, an organisation set up to monitor anti-Muslim attacks.
Sensibly, the issue never exploded as a media story because any sane person investigating it could see that Stewart was literally quoting Shakespeare, as he had done before, without any racial prejudice attached whatsoever.
But in their wisdom, ITV and ITN disagreed, making it clear Stewart had to quit in disgrace or be sacked. In a particularly horrific move, I have been told the country’s longest-serving newsreader wasn’t given any warning that his former colleague and close pal Mary Nightingale was going to break the news on air during Wednesday night’s evening news.
The irony is that this truly shoddy treatment came on the very day ITV was trumpeting the fact it is hiring an in-house psychologist “to offer mental health support” for its stars.
Fat lot of good that will do for Alastair Stewart, Caroline Flack, Jason Gardiner and Jeremy Kyle, who have all been thrown under the bus by the broadcaster in recent months.
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The latter three have all made it clear to friends that they feel ITV’s treatment of them was below par and has left them feeling highly vulnerable.
This time, however, ITN’s decision has backfired spectacularly. There is mutiny about Stewart’s unjust exit behind the scenes at ITN.
Ranvir Singh’s stoic defence of Stewart on ITV’s own Good Morning Britain show yesterday as a great supporter of BAME talent at the news company set the mood.
Seeing the backlash, Shapland himself now concedes Stewart should not have been sacked and a simple apology would have sufficed.
It’s now time for corporations, media companies and big business to stop falling victim to the toxic cancel culture of Twitter.
Or all we will have is PR-driven drones answerable to left-wing agitators driving the public narrative, rather than passionate and honest debate from genuine originals like Alastair Stewart.
MEG'S MISTAKE?
RETIRED royal Meghan reckons she made a mistake renouncing her career as a TV star to join The Firm, according to a biographer.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Sally Bedell Smith said: “It seems now that she really regrets having had to give that up, and what she was expected to do in the Royal Family didn’t compare with what she had been accustomed to.”
But I think Meghan’s greatest acting role came after leaving television – she’s been playing the victim superbly ever since.
Come back soon, Jessie
A COUPLE of weeks back the Irish TV station RTE went viral for running a story about a rooster who they described as “Mayo’s most famous cock”.
Imagine my surprise when soap legend Jessie Wallace dragged me into the discussion by tweeting the video with the caption: “I could think of one – Dan Wootton.”
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Despite our rocky relationship over the past few years, I found it hilarious and replied with what I thought was a light-hearted riposte: “Jessie is on the booze again.”
Little did I know she’d be suspended just a few days later from EastEnders for apparently drinking on set.
Jessie and I have swapped a few messages since and I told her I’m delighted the BBC is standing by her.
In a world of anodyne soap stars, where the most interesting thing they’re likely to do is post a picture in their bikini on Instagram, Jessie represents the old school.
There’s bad behaviour, yes. Affairs, hard-partying, the works.
But she’s a soap icon and EastEnders would be poorer without her.
I hope she is able to get back on her feet after some much-needed time out.
ROSS CLARK
Mr Juncker it's time to love you and leave EU... but we're no less European
OUR TIME HAS COME
Today at 11pm the great people of the UK will finally get Brexit done
PRITI PATEL
We got Brexit done - now let's unleash brilliant Britain
THE SUN SAYS
Brexit day's the day Remoaners should stop spewing their hate — but they won't
PATRICK O'FLYNN
Terror, strikes, anger on the streets ... France is like late 70s BritainBORIS DELIVERS
GENUINE thanks and appreciation today to Boris Johnson.
It’s not often a newspaper columnist wants to offer unquestioning praise to the Prime Minister.
But I do not believe any other leader would have been able to deliver Brexit.
The 17.4million Leave voters and a hell of a lot of quiet Remainers who respect democracy feel very happy to shut a divisive chapter and start afresh from 11pm tomorrow.
I’ll be having more than my fair share of drinks to celebrate.
IF Love Island doesn’t improve soon the viewing figures will be as low as the IQs of this year’s startlingly intellectually challenged contestants.
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And here is the ITV news: Decent man Alastair Stewart is stitched up by woke telly execs - The Sun
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