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Sunday 23 August 2020

BBC And Darren Grimes - OH DEAR

Yes, Sunday Morning Live is what might be called undemanding viewing, but if the BBC wants to put four pundits before the viewers for a discussion of the merits, or otherwise, of private education, the least it can do is to invite those who have not only an interest in the subject at hand, but also who have bothered to do their research beforehand.


So what did they do this morning? To provide what is laughably called “balance”, they invited the education expert that is, er, Darren Grimes. Yes, someone at the Beeb thought that putting a destructive ignoramus, along with the unpeeled potato sized chip on his shoulder, on the panel to provide that “balance” was somehow A Very Good Thing.


Mic Wright decided to kick off. “I studied Education at Cambridge University (2:1). I am a school governor. I have written about education issues for 15 years. I am the first in my family to attend university. I have lots of broadcast experience. And now on [SML] … Darren Grimes, an expert in nothing”. Another Tweeter added “WTF Darren Grimes is doing on your channel [BBC]? Who is funding him? Who asked him as your guest? Are you turning into Fox News? He’s [a] failed fashion student ffs!”. There was more.


What the hell does [Darren Grimes] actually know about anything? Surely you should have some expertise in any area to give an opinion on the BBC. Grimes, you had little to offer to the discussion other than telling us you did an apprenticeship in media studies … Made the mistake of putting [SML] on. Their expert panel discussing education includes Darren Grimes, whose sole qualification is that he once attended a school. I try to defend the BBC but they do themselves no favours with this nonsense”. Quite. And more.


I'm all for diversity of opinion, but Grimes is an empty vessel. How on earth he gets a platform anywhere, let alone the BBC, is mind boggling”. And the obvious point: “People like Darren Grimes are entitled to voice their view. They shouldn't be allowed to voice it on the BBC. Having an opinion isn't a qualification to be considered an expert”.


Then came the questions. “Why does the BBC insist on giving airtime to the manufactured and paid for opinions of a gobshite like Darren Grimes?! Why not go whole hog and get Tom Harwood on as well?!” I think he’s on holiday, and don’t tempt them. Also, “Is Brexit gobshite Darren Grimes, whose Twitter header is a photo of him appearing on the BBC and who was, once again, on the BBC this morning talking utter bollocks, still a part of the ‘grassroots’ campaign to [Defund the BBC]?” Grimes is also an unspeakable hypocrite.


Also, there had to be a reminder of Grimes’ latest mis-step: “Seeing as Darren Grimes is trending again, seems as good a time as any to remind everybody how he openly agreed with the appalling racist mischaracterisation of history from David Starkey, and despite this had been invited to talk about education by the BBC”. John Traynor concluded simply “BBC has arsehole Darren Grimes on because it doesn't understand balance in broadcasting”. There is balance, but inviting Grimes to waffle pointlessly is not it.


What, one has to ask, is the point of inviting pundits with some expertise, who are prepared to research their subject, just to find they have to debate with Darren Grimes, whose USP is to whine about people calling him an idiot. Because he is one.

Having an opinion is not the same as knowledge. Know the difference, BBC people.


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17 comments:

Unknown said...

A noxious little grifting Dweeb. Hope the next Covid wave carries him off.

AndyC said...

'How can we get the programme noticed on-line today? I know, let's get that clueless idiot Grimes on. He knows nothing about anything but it will get attention.'

And it did.

Jez Box said...

Darren Grimes is a waste of skin.

AndyC said...

It's surely incumbent on the other (well qualified) contributors to start questioning why people like Grimes, who are knowledgeable about squat, are even on the programme.

Anonymous said...

The Beeb chose Dozo because he's a far right moron.

It's what the Beeb does.

Malcolm Armsteen said...

Old Grimsey, we're something of a fan base for him in the Armsteen household. Makes a lot of money spouting nonsense you see.

Anonymous said...

"And now on BBC news we're pleased to have on two experts on pandemic diseases, Toby Young and Allison Pearson. On the opposing side giving their so-called opinion is an epidemiologist and Fellow of the Royal Society who is a medical doctor with a Phd from Oxford."

Telegraph Readers: "BBC lefties biased as usual. Who do these doctors think they are?!?!?"

Jonathan said...

We shouldn't be surprised, Darren the appreciate toast monitor comes very cheap compared with Julia Hartley-Brewer, who seems to be on every other week spouting rubbish.and garbage.

Unknown said...

Perhpas whilst on SML the presenterss could have asked the inept Grimes how his legal action them (the beeb) was getting along. https://zelo-street.blogspot.com/2020/07/darren-grimes-legal-action-isnt.html

BikerMark said...

Reading the comments on here, there seems to be some nasty people.

Derek said...

Dear Zelo ,
Surely the carousel of these exposed ‘alt-right’ mouthpieces is revelatory in itself . Nowadays the prevalence and effectiveness of blogs such as Zelo means that what was always true , ‘We are many , They are few’ is constantly reinforced . In that respect I have hope that the penny about these inadequate charlatans will eventually drop with the British public . Keep up the good work !
Derek

Anonymous said...

It’s often said that small turds often float. I hope this one sinks and is flushed asap

Anonymous said...

@BikerMark

You are ,to quote a different anonymous from yesterday, a "racist tory gammon cunt" for defending Grimes.

grim northerner said...

The whole debate missed the point, there was no discussion about the bias built in the algorithm and it's implications, just the usual canard that 'the left want to abolish private schools'. Utterly pointless. Left-leaning commentators should just boycott these TV shows until proper debate can be had in place of left vs right reductive caricature.

Jonathan said...

Health professionals are told to only 'Act and within the knowledge of their own competency'..
When I was a nurse, I knew jackanory about diabetes, so I consulted a Diabetic specialist nurse who knew what she was talking and doing!

So why does the BBC allow someone who apart from attending school and Higher Education know about the workings of schools?

Anonymous said...

Luckily BikerMark they are confined to their bedrooms and personal insults is all they've got.

Anonymous said...

@22:45

Whereas fascists like you two have murdered elected representatives, protestors, school children and random strangers. It's telling that your sympathies are with Grimes and not with Gabby Giffords, Jo Cox or Heather Heyer. Have you no sense of decency?