Scots broadcaster and comedian, Hardeep Singh Kohli, has declared that he is considering “walking away” from television for a legal career.
The Glasgow University law graduate revealed his quandary in an interview with the Sunday Times Scotland at the weekend, in which he said it was hard to find rewarding work in the “cannibalistic “ world of television and criticised a lack of creativity in the BBC, although he said he remained in love with radio and writing.
He also disclosed that he will not be returning to BBC TV’s The One Show from which he was suspended from his roving reporter role after a complaint from a female member of staff about allegedly inappropriate behaviour.
The BBC had announced that he would be returning, but Kohli said both he and the show had “moved on”.
Reported the Sunday Times: “Kohli said: “I don’t want to be a celebrity. The cannibalism of television has got to the point where people are celebrities for being on television.
“I have thought about walking away and still think I may still walk away …I was thinking about retraining and going back to the bar. My ambition was to go to the bar. I would want to be a barrister because of the performance.”
Kohli is also quoted saying the TV licence fee offered the greatest value for money for any broadcaster in the world.
But he is also reported saying the Corporation’s balance of 'creators and managers' was wrong, pointing out: “More people are administering than making programmes.”
The former Scotland on Sunday columnist has a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, starting today: Chat Masala, half talk show-half curry cooking.
He confirmed he would not work again on The One Show. Of his suspension, he tells the newspaper: “It is such a long time ago now. The issue is that there was no formal complaint about me. We all have bumps in our lives.
“You learn about yourself and your own resilience. Truth never gets in the way of a good story.
“But no matter how horrible it was for me – nobody died, nobody was horribly injured. It’s a chapter that is closed for me.”
