Considering that this year marks its 100th anniversary, some might say the BBC has been a little reluctant in the last 10 months to celebrate such a milestone. Perhaps that is good, old-fashioned politeness, perfectly in tune with what we would expect from our national broadcaster – a tendency to blow your own trumpet being not the done thing.
Or perhaps, after the last few years being assailed by critics, with its Charter up for renewal and the licence fee the subject of debate, it’s because the corporation has decided to keep its head down.
Or is there a third reason? That celebrating its 100th birthday with a fanfare places the BBC in the pages of broadcasting history rather than at the centre of tomorrow’s global media stage?
After all, the BBC can look back over 100 years since its inception in 1922 with pride, but it can’t take its eye off the future, or else it’s toast.
Radio Times magazine has no such reservations and we like to think we are uniquely qualified to step in where the BBC fears to tread. So this week, we salute the corporation’s birthday with an issue dedicated to our national broadcaster.
Huw Edwards discusses the run-up to reporting the death of the Queen as being more stressful than the announcement itself, managing the coverage marathon, messages from his mum, embarrassment about knighthood rumours and dismisses the rumours that he’s leaving the BBC.
Enjoy our 10-page celebration featuring a host of the BBC’s biggest stars, including Edwards, Fiona Bruce, Claudia Winkleman, Alex Jones, Naga Munchetty, Clive Myrie, Zoe Ball, Emma Barnett and Jay Blades.
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Also in this week’s Radio Times:
- Jodie Whittaker on always being on the brink of tears, why she left Doctor Who, filming the final scenes while suffering morning sickness and why she will be “devastated” if Russell T Davies doesn’t invite her back to play the role in the future.
- Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding on returning to Doctor Who as Ace and Tegan, social media exploding over the news, the reaction of Sylvester McCoy and Peter Davison and why the characters are still “taking no s**t from anybody”.
- Eddie Redmayne on the difference between playing real life characters and fantastical ones, why streamers won’t replace cinema, fearing complacency and his love for JK Rowling’s work.
Visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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