No surprise that Emma Barnett’s debut on the Today programme (BBC Radio 4) was confident, assured and polished, but did we have to suffer quite so many moments of cheery self-reverence?
From opening sentence to last, Emma took every opportunity to spotlight her maiden voyage on the good ship Today.
‘Here on my first shift on the Today programme it is lovely to be here,’ she declared, just after the 6am pips. ‘I won’t make you blush on our first exchange,’ she said to one reporter.
When she asked Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, if he felt his opinions are being heard, she added: ‘Beyond coming on this esteemed programme that I am getting to grips with this morning.’
At the end of the three-hour show, we were even treated to clips of her early morning wake-up playlist, featuring Britney Spears and Led Zeppelin.
Emma Barnett took every opportunity to spotlight her maiden voyage on BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, writes JAN MOIR
Former Women’s Hour presenter Emma is a terrific broadcaster but – how can I put this politely – who cares what she listens to when she’s brushing her teeth?
At the end of the broadcast there was even a glutinous exchange of thank-you-no-thank-yous with her co-host Amol Rajan, the pair of them behaving as if they’d just delivered a seminal performance of Tristan and Isolde at the Sydney Opera House, instead of presenting a news show.
Their colleague Nick Robinson recently blamed Today’s falling ratings on ‘news avoiders’ who no longer want to face the world’s problems. That’s right, Nick, blame the listeners. Or to be more precise, blame the listeners who are no longer listening.
I would suggest that the problem is not their pesky reluctance to tune in, but the creeping cult of personality that has silkily taken hold of this once great programme; a cholesterol of celebrity that now clogs up its airways.
Early morning, people just want news with their bacon – not fried egos. Instead, they get Amol Rajan garnishing everything with the benefit of his grittily delivered smart-alec opinions, and now Emma Barnett blithering on about how much she likes Britney.
‘Yeah, exactly,’ Amol will drawl after some expert has delivered his or her distilled wisdom after 50 years of dutiful research on a complicated subject.
‘They should listen to their parents more and their friends less,’ he chirped yesterday, after an item on playground behaviour. Apart from these trite pensées being intensely irritating, is personally editorialising in this manner really the role of Today presenters?
Brian Redhead (RIP) helmed Today for more than 18 years, and we barely heard a cheep of what he thought or felt about anything. John Humphrys might have permitted himself a small moan of pain if Wales lost at rugby, but that was all.
Still, there is no doubt that Emma brings a new energy to the show. It was quite startling to hear her loud, mad bark of laughter during an overlong – and actually not very funny at all – item about US Secretary of State Antony Blinken playing with a rock band during his trip to Kyiv. Still, it gave Amol another chance to insert himself into the narrative.
‘What a story and what a dude,’ he said, before moving on to a report about pumping sewage.
Before joining Today, Emma said she believed it to be a very different programme from Woman’s Hour, which was a relief. However, it was interesting that she wasted no time in bringing a little of WH’s cosy, inclusive, magazine show vibe to proceedings.
During an item about sex education in schools, she said this: ‘Some might remember it boiling down to a very awkward teacher putting a condom on a banana, or was that just my experience?’ Then – horror of horrors – she encouraged listeners to send in their own sex ed experiences. ‘I’d love to read out some of your messages if I can,’ she said.
There is no doubt Emma brings energy to the show, as well a little of Women’s Hour’s cosy, inclusive magazine vibe
Perhaps the most significant section of the show was her interview with James Coates, the son of Nottingham stab victim Ian Coates. Following the Court of Appeal’s refusal to change the sentence of triple killer Valdo Calocane, an emotional Mr Coates said he felt he had been denied justice.
‘I am so incredibly sorry,’ said Emma at one point, clearly close to tears. Today later posted clips of the moment on its social media feeds, showing Emma looking sad and glassy-eyed. There is certainly a place for this kind of empathetic, lump in the throat, I feel your pain kind of interview, but is it on the Today programme?
Emma is a skilled interviewer – one of the best in the business – and I don’t doubt the genuine depth of her emotion. Yet Today was in danger of not only edging into Oprah territory here, but of making the interview about Emma Barnett and not about Mr Coates and his terrible grief. The insidious cult of personality strikes again.
‘What an extraordinary interview,’ said Amol Rajan, getting the last word, as ever.
