JNT

[Stuart Wallis]

Quality journalism.

Especially the request for other BBC-related sex scandals... And in a way I can understand blanking out Gareth's face in the picture - not that you can't get the full version on DVD, or that it doesn't accidentally incriminate Colin by doing that to the photo.

[Jason Thompson]

Colin just tweeted: the journos apparently 'doorstepped' his family over this story! So this is the freedom the press want to protect, is it? The right to drag uninvolved people into scandals and gossip and to harass their families for juicy soundbites?

[Simon R]

What on earth would Colin's family have to say about JNT? His daughters probably don't remember him.

[Stuart Wallis]

Do you think the press cares about that?

Meanwhile, the Sun's also found the Savile angle. So obviously anyone who worked on any BBC programme is now tarred with a certain brush if they worked on a fix-it for a kid, is the way the story tried to spin it.

[Jon Masters]

Interesting interview with Richard Marson , on the book and the press reaction, on The Media Show programme on Radio 4 as I was driving home today.

[Simon R]

I bet he's laughing all the way to the bank as pre-orders for the book must be sky rocketing.

Hopefully this won'r rear it's head in the papers again now.

[SiHart]

Well I've read the first two chapters now, detailing his early life and career at the BBC. It's been interesting to read what an influence Gary Downie had on him and how not all his friends approved of the realtionship and indeed how well thought of he was by his colleagues at the BBC in the early stages of his career.

[SiHart]

Its a compelling read. I've read the offending and much talked about chapter now, and well, what is there to say- it happened. There's nasty stuff in there, it was uncomfortable, but it was a part of the life of JNT> If you're going to do a biography you can't just whitewash it and hope it's not there.

It's a fascinating book in so many ways. the culture of the BBC is well expressed, how the changes of heads of departments really changed things for him is very clear. Jonathan Powell comes over extremely badly- what an arrogant, pompous guy he is. He doesn't come out of this at all well.

Neither does Ian Levine. But I'm not going there- the capital letters will be painful.

[SiHart]

And this might be a useful watch...

[Matthew T]

I read the whole thing cover to cover yesterday - JNT comes out not too badly I thought, certainly better than Gary Downie or some of the fan glitterati, I nearly choked on my Diet Coke at some of the contemporary quote from Jan Vincent Rudski!

His decline after the show ended is very sad. His and Gary's behaviour in directing a shoddy local panto is cringeworthy. His illness and early death are terribly upsetting.

[SiHart]

An excellent review from Johnny Morris here. It sums up a lot of what I've thought as I've been reading it.

[Si Hunt]

I've ordered our copy now. Can't wait to read it, especially all the saucy bits! Pwhhoooaaaaaarrr!

Si.

[Antony Cox]

Neither does Ian Levine. But I'm not going there- the capital letters will be painful.

[Stuart Wallis]

Ah yes - the original capital offence!

[Rob McCow]

Surely there is no chat up line more terrifying and alarming than 'Would you like to come back to mine for a wet spritzer - or a spritzer that's dry, oh so terribly dry?'

[dalekkiller]

I notice DWM have not covered this at all

[Stuart Wallis]

OK, so the series discusses homosexuality and lesbianism these days, but in A Certain Way. The book seems to discuss JNT's lifestyle in a rather more adult fashion than the way the series does. Does anyone know the magazine's age demographic? Perhaps the reason lies there?

[dalekkiller]

That could be the reason although they did cover Wills's biography making reference to her having an abortion

[Rob McCow]

DWM is a family magazine these days... but does that mean we're missing out on a grown up perspective? I'm pretty sure they reviewed Blue Box Boy, which had almost as much sex in it.

Also, they can be very late with their review of small press books. Maybe this'll get a couple of paragraphs in a few months' time.

[Antony Cox]

Currently reading this (kindly loaned to me by Mr Clancy. )

It really is a 'warts and all' story - literally, in some senses... Compulsive reading, though!

[Wayne]

Apparently this book says that JNT spat in Nicola Bryant's face? How horrible is that?
If true, I can't imagine what she could've done to have provoked such an uncalled for action.

[Lissa]

If I remember that bit correctly, she spent time in a hotel bedroom with a gay friend of JNT's and he convinced himself (or Gary Downie convinced him) that she was using her womanly charms to convert him.

[Wayne]

If I remember that bit correctly, she spent time in a hotel bedroom with a gay friend of JNT's and he convinced himself (or Gary Downie convinced him) that she was using her womanly charms to convert him.

Is that all? I thought she'd tried to murder his mother or something, at least.

If that's the sort of thing JNT did, then I'm not impressed I'm afraid.

[Nyder]

I'm going to start reading this tonight

[Rob McCow]

You'll be finished by morning