A Quote by Clive James

Once, BBC television had echoed BBC radio in being a haven for standard English pronunciation. Then regional accents came in: a democratic plus. Then slipshod usage came in: an egalitarian minus. By now slovenly grammar is even more rife on the BBC channels than on ITV. In this regard a decline can be clearly charted... If the BBC, once the guardian of the English language, has now become its most implacable enemy, let us at least be grateful when the massacre is carried out with style.

Clive James

Quote Topics

Accents Be Grateful Become Being Came Carried Channels Clearly Decline Democratic Egalitarian Enemy English English Language Even Grammar Grateful Guardian Had Language Least Let Us Massacre Minus More Most Now Once Out Plus Pronunciation Radio Regard Regional Standard Standard English Style Television Than Then Us Usage

Quote Author

Clive James
Australian - Writer
Born: October 7, 1939

I am sorry to be leaving the BBC. I have enjoyed a fascinating seven years at the corporation and am particularly proud to have played a small part in the development of the BBC's Global News services, BBC World Service and BBC World.

Pauline Neville-Jones

The BBC is the greatest broadcaster in the world. It's the standard that everyone measures themselves against. If we lose the BBC, it won't be quite as bad as losing the royal family, but an integral part of this country will have gone. But then, I'm an old guy.

Terry Wogan

All I can do is advocate changes at the BBC while respecting editorial independence upon which the success of the BBC rests. I can't do anything that requires the BBC to pay certain people certain amounts.

Jeremy Hunt

People know more about my views than they do about most BBC presenters because I had a life before becoming a BBC presenter.

Andrew Neil

The BBC is another part of the destruction of Great Britain. The truth is that the BBC doesn't know that it is biased. It thinks that Guardian reading champagne socialists are the norm.

Norman Tebbit

My first job was at the BBC but was really dull. I was working in the BBC's reference department, where I did a lot of filing. I had always been interested in films and theatre, so I thought that getting a job at the BBC would be a good idea, but the job was really mundane.

Matthew Bourne

The BBC's television, radio and online services remain an important part of British culture and the fact the BBC continues to thrive amongst audiences at home and abroad is testament to a professional and dedicated management team who are committed to providing a quality public service.

Pauline Neville-Jones

I remember once at the end of a BBC job interview the manager said to me: 'I didn't realise people like you were clever.' I don't think he was being intentionally nasty. At that time in the BBC he was surrounded by clones of himself, give or take some facial hair and glasses.

Steph McGovern

Professionally, I was at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and did lots of things there, and then I won the BBC Carlton Hobbs Award, so I did some BBC Radio drama work, which is a lovely way to start out because you work with lots of great people, and you're working all the time, so you're learning rather than sitting around and waitressing.

Lydia Leonard

It was regarded as a responsibility of the BBC to provide programs which have a broad spectrum of interest, and if there was a hole in that spectrum, then the BBC would fill it.

David Attenborough

I do have a regard for the musicality of language that came from BBC sitcoms like 'Fawlty Towers.'

Russell Brand

Nothing is covered adequately by the BBC. The BBC has become the biggest disappointment - they're just so terrified. And in a way it's not their fault: the parties have used them as a political football.

Irvine Welsh

When Bob Wilson left the BBC for ITV, I got the 'Football Focus' job, and it went from there. It came completely out of the blue, but the fact I had a high profile certainly helped.