Carol Vorderman And The Mail

This blog is not a fan of those engaging in self-promotion in order to generate More And Bigger Paycheques For Themselves Personally Now. But even those who engage me-me-me mode on an unfeasibly frequent basis are entitled to a little privacy, a little space in their lives, some freedom from harassment. It is this distinction that some of those in and around our free and fearless press find difficult to understand.

Carol Vorderman in happier times

Which brings us to former Countdown numbers person Carol Vorderman, no longer part of the UK-wide TV landscape but still scoring broadcast and other media opportunities as she approaches the big Six-Oh later this year. Ms Vorderman yesterday encountered one of those little local difficulties with two over-zealous press snappers. The experience left her in a state of distress. And, as so often, the press doesn’t want to talk about it.

What happened can be described easily: Ms Vorderman was leaving her house (to use the local vernacular, nice part of Cliffun near the Spenshun Bridge) to drive to Cardiff to present her radio show when she spotted two aggressive paparazzi. They had tried to snap her some days earlier and failed. After going back in her house to collect herself, she returned to her car and drove off. But their aggression unsettled her.

The effect was so bad that she later pulled over and stopped her car to record a short video. And some Tweets. “So when I walked outside of my front door this morning I was greeted by two not nice paparazzi....who had turned up at the BBC last week and I went in by a side door to avoid them, so they decided to harass me at home instead. I've filmed them and might post later”. Who sent them? She was unequivocal.

“Their photos will no doubt turn up on the [Mail Online] website today, chosen especially to show where I live and a cross face (I was scared...Yes even after all of these years) … then the trolls will post thousands of abusive message & all so that the paps & papers can make money”. So why was the Mail the first name that came to mind?

Ah well. Mail Online does like to talk about her. Twice last month the website posted photo-laden (and appallingly leery) articles about her. But it’s clear that these relied on paparazzi snaps, and recycling content from other publications. Reading between the lines, as one has to do in these cases, the impression is given that the Mail has been trying to get access to Ms Vorderman, and has been less than totally successful.

Fortunately for her, the photos from yesterday have not yet surfaced, but one facet of the press’ behaviour has: the Independent, one of the few outlets to report her distress, had edited out her reference to other papers. And the Liverpool Echo’s article got pulled soon after being put online. Press Omertà is alive and inducing self-censorship.

The lesson someone - most likely the Mail - is trying to impress upon Ms Vorderman, and upon anyone else who may not be cooperating with them, is that they know where their targets live, are conversant with what they can get away with, and if all else fails, have more expensive lawyers. You deal with them, or they deal with you.

Our free and fearless press is an absolute shower. But you knew that already.

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