Popular radio DJ, Colin Kelly, has been sacked by Clyde 1 over claims of ‘cyber bullying’, reports today’s Scottish Sun (page 31).
Writes reporter Paul Thornton: “Clyde 1 star Kelly was dumped after the station probed a complaint about his use of the internet. He was called in for showdown talks with station bosses following his show on Wednesday.”
Kelly – who is also The Hour show’s technology expert on STV – is reported to have worked for the station as a presenter for the last three years.
A spokesperson from Clyde 1 is quoted, saying: “I can confirm that Colin Kelly has now left the station.”
Elsewhere, England’s failed World Cup bid features heavily on today’s front and back pages. The Scottish Daily Mail (page 13) reports that Britain’s media has been blamed for the unsuccessful campaign.
Writes the Mail: “The Sunday Times and BBC1’s flagship current affairs programme Panorama recently produced investigations into the controversial dealings of [football's world governing body] Fifa’s tight-knit executive committee.”
The report continues: “Some within the England camp had claimed the increased scrutiny of such a secretive body could harm the bid.”
England captain Rio Ferdinand’s reaction to the loss on his Twitter feed is quoted, saying: “The timing of the Panorama programme was bad taste, fact.”
The delegate believed to be the only non-English Fifa member to vote for England – Japan’s Junji Ogura – also indicated that the bid may have been harmed by media probes.
Ogura is quoted, saying: “England was eliminated in the first round, and they were maybe affected by the BBC and The Sunday Time’s reporting. England has full facilities and they could hold the World Cup any time. I think England’s media reporting affected Fifa committee members.”
More on the BBC in today’s Herald (page 4). The paper reports that one of the most powerful figures in the Corporation – current Director of Vision, Jana Bennett – is to take up a new role in the broadcaster’s commercial arm.
Writes The Herald: “She will take up a newly created role at BBC Worldwide, president of worldwide networks and global iPlayer, in February.”
Bennett had been responsible for overseeing a budget of over £800 million and looking after a portfolio of six TV channels. Adds the Herald: “Major hits she has helped drive have included Strictly Come Dancing and she revived Doctor Who, while she contributed to Top Gear becoming a global brand.”
Meanwhile, today’s Scottish Daily Express (page 20) reports that popular comedian Bill Bailey has attacked BBC bosses for not respecting their artists. Bailey had been a regular captain on BBC2’s lighthearted music quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks until he was axed for refusing the broadcaster’s request to cancel several live performances after the show was re-scheduled to film two months earlier than usual.
Bailey is quoted, saying: “I thought, how utterly contemptuously do the BBC treat their artists? … How rude do are you to just assume I’m going to knock these things on the head? I said ‘I can’t do it. I just can’t cancel these shows.’”
Elsewhere, in today’s Scottish Sun (page 4 of the TV Biz supplement) another comedian takes a swipe at the broadcaster. Surreal comic Harry Hill has suggested that bosses should axe BBC3. Hill is quoted, saying: “They do shows that are just dog-ends of other shows.”
And finally, X Factor judge Simon Cowell has been compared to a deity by an unlikely source – a Christian magazine. The Sun picks up the story on page 9, writing: “The X Factor mogul has been lauded in evangelical magazine Re, which believes his straight-talking and drive is just like The Messiah’s.”
The magazine is quoted, saying that like Jesus, Cowell can dish out harsh words, as well accepting them: “Simon Cowell takes, learns from them and grows in the process, and there are numerous stories in the Bible of people who do the same.”
