Following Sue’s post yesterday about Christine Bleakley leaving the BBC for ITV, BBC creative director Alan Yentob – a man who has shown notable creativity in personal expense claims – has claimed in the Times (no link, I’m afraid- the Times won’t allow it) that the days of the BBC having “deep pockets” to hire talent are over. Some would say that in itself was a tad disingenuous as the BBC spends £229m a year on such offensive morons as Jonathan Ross, Nicky Campbell and Anne Robinson. But meanwhile, Paul Revoir at the Daily Mail points out the true picture. While the rest of us are forced to tighten our belts in today’s budget, dear old auntie is sending 1,000 staff and spending upwards of £5m in just a week covering the World Cup, Glastonbury and Wimebledon. Among the all-out extravagance, a chap called Dotun Adebayo has presented three of his Up All Night shows from Ghana – 2,000 miles from the world cup action. A total of £12m is being spent on the “totaly overboard” world cup coverage, while 400 BBC boys and girls are going to Glastonbury this year – up from the more modest 292 last year. We don’t know yet whether Mr Yentob himself will be repeating his BBC-paid-for Glastonbury bash of two years ago at his nearby country estate bought with our money. But one thing is for sure. The chill winds of austerity have not yet hit the corridors of the BBC. And “creativity” at the BBC is not about art or programmes; it’s all about spending our cash.
Correction: I’ve made a botch of the figures – 400 are going to Glastonbury, but the 292 refers to those at the world cup not Glastonbury last year. Humble apologies for so maligning the esteemed corporation. But, heck, what’s a hundred or so here or there in BBC accounting?