Monday, January 14, 2008

We've had our Phil


Though I agree with the sentiment, I find Phil Redmond to be one of the most tedious people in the history of British broadcasting.

A champagne socialist with a wild Willy Russellesque 1980s mane of silly battleship grey media hair, which I'm sure he imagines marks him out as a maverick, he's a humourles knob with delusions of grandeur who hasn't had a good idea in almost 30 years.

In my experience - and I do have first-hand experience of this man - he's a control freak who happened to be in the right place at the right time, but is now utterly and totally irrelevant.

His meddling killed off Brookside - though he insists wrongly on blaming Channel 4, and so it's a worry that his involvement in City of Culture thing in Liverpool will end in failure, bitterness and regret. If that dire Liverpool Nativity thing is anything to go by, he should give it up now.

Which is a shame, as I really like Liverpool and its people. The place deserves to do well out of it. I've had some really good times there. So what they don't need is this berk taking over. I'll bet when they're around the planning table there's a face like thunder if anyone dares to question his ideas or disagree with him.

I saw him on BBC Breakfast the other day, doing his usual patronising 'you wouldn't understand' schtick when the presenter attempted to ask a series of fair and balanced questions.

Look how Hollyoaks has flourished since he moved on. Perhaps if let the BBC just get on with Grange Hill, it could do the same. But no, he's got to keep hanging on and making a nuisance of himself.

Move on Phil, do us all a favour.

4 comments:

Peter said...

Yes, what an odious scouse tw*t. Saw him on Newsnight on Friday, spoilt my evening.
I too have first hand experience of Professor Phil-ego the size of a small planet plus the mandatory L8 chip on his shoulder. Married his accountant then used this as a major Brookie storyline (Heather and Tom anyone?). Socialist principles flexible enough to enable him to send his son to a high flying fee paying school in Cheshire.

Suzy Norman said...

We named our first dog after Tucker Jenkins. We called him Tucker.

FearDrop said...

Seems a bit harsh on the hairy one. His comment about Grange Hill was right - the Beeb has shafted it. Whether or not he'd have kept in on track is another matter but he was right to have a go.

As for the Culture year he's done a good job in turning around the perception of it at a grass roots level. He's got people involved not just arts organisations and he's right that the national media don't get the events in Liverpool. The two opening weekend events were a roaring success with everyone who attended no matter what the Guardian tells you. Alex Petridis is worthy of scorn though - not because he gave the musical 2 out of 5 but because he's another crap hack who thinks an opinion is the only thing needed to make you a journalist. A bit of research, analysis and contextualisation wouldn't hurt.

I've also had first hand experience of Redmond and I don't think his ego is any better or worse than most TV moguls. I'd like to know what his one good idea was that you referred to. I would suggest that it was setting up the largest independent TV production company outside of the capital and providing work for regional talent for the last quarter century. Though I'm guessing you were probably thinking of Grange Hill.

Can you offer any suggestions as to who would have been a better choice to run Liverpool's Capital of Culture? I can't think of any. If nothing else he's shifted the focus from the in-fighting at the council to the actual event. No small feat that in a city where local government bureaucracy is as much part of our daily life as nicking hubcaps and perming our curly hair (that's for all you stereotype-lovers out there).

And I named my hamster Benny after Benny Green.

Jon Peake said...

I'm glad it's a roaring success. I just hope he doesn't hijack it, as that's when the rot sets in. IMHO.

Anyway, you sound much closer to this than me, so I bow to you.

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