BBC legend slams ‘profoundly irritating’ Radio 4 co-stars after quitting
John Humphrys hit out at his Radio 4 co-stars (Image: Getty)
BBC legend John Humphrys has slammed his Radio 4 co-stars as “profoundly irritating”, seven years after quitting his presenting job. The 82-year-old worked at BBC 4 for more than 30 years, but handed in his notice in 2019 – but has now hit out at the current presenters of the Today programme in his Guardian column.
He said: “Having been the one on the radio informing (and possibly sometimes annoying) the listeners for 33 years, I’m now the man shouting at his radio about how irritating the programme has become.” He complained that chief presenters Justin Webb, Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson leave him “harrumphing” at the radio due to their communication style.
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Humphrys wrote: “A prime example would be Amol Rajan’s insistence on emphasising, without fail, the definite and indefinite articles in any given sentence. In his world, ‘A’ bomb has exploded in ‘THE’ palace of Westminster.”
The ex-BBC star said some presenters are “more guilty than others” of “gushing” over their guests before an interview, and also hit out at filler words like “y’know” and “I mean”.
This, apparently, makes Humphrys “grind his teeth”.
Amol Rajan took over the programme (Image: BBC)
Despite his litany of issues, he branded the three hosts “as good as they come”, but complained about “deeply uncomfortable” exchanges between the presenters when they discuss the “significance” of whatever interview has just been completed.
Humphrys originally stepped down from BBC radio as he wanted to “get more involved in trees”, adding: “I love doing the programme. I have always enjoyed it. That’s the problem. I should have gone years ago. Obviously I should have gone years ago.”
