Emma’s always been terrific…but her first Today shift was in danger of edging into Oprah territory, writes JAN MOIR as she listens in to BBC Radio 4 at breakfast
It’s no surprise that Emma Barnett’s debut on the Today program (BBC Radio 4) was confident, assured and polished, but did we have to endure so many moments of cheerful self-adoration?
From the opening sentence to the last sentence, Emma took every opportunity to highlight her first trip on the good ship Today.
“It’s wonderful to be here on my first shift on the Today programme,” she declared, just after the 6am pips. “I won’t make you blush at our first conversation,” she told a reporter.
When she asked Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, if he felt his views were being heard, she added: ‘Apart from appearing on this esteemed program which I am embarking on this morning.’
At the end of the three-hour show, we were even treated to snippets of her early morning wake-up playlist, featuring Britney Spears and Led Zeppelin.
Emma Barnett took every opportunity to highlight her first trip on BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, writes JAN MOIR
Former Women’s Hour presenter Emma is a great presenter, but – how can I put this politely – who cares what she listens to when she brushes her teeth?
There was even a tacky exchange of thanks at the end of the broadcast with her co-host Amol Rajan, acting as if they had just delivered a groundbreaking performance of Tristan and Isolde at the Sydney Opera House, rather than a news show present.
Their colleague Nick Robinson recently blamed Today’s declining ratings on ‘news avoiders’ who no longer want to face up to 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 annoying unwillingness to listen, but the creeping cult of personality that has taken a silky-smooth grip on this once great program; a celebrity cholesterol that now clogs the airways.
Early in the morning people only want news with bacon and no fried egos. Instead, they let Amol Rajan decorate everything with the benefit of his snarky, smart opinions, and now Emma Barnett is gleefully going on about how much she loves Britney.
“Yes, exactly,” Amol will drawl after an expert delivers his or her distilled wisdom from fifty years of dutiful research into a complex subject.
“They should listen more to their parents and less to their friends,” he squeaked yesterday, after an item about playing behavior. Apart from the fact that these hackneyed pensées are extremely annoying, is personal editorializing in this way really the role of Today presenters?
Brian Redhead (RIP) was at the helm of Today for over 18 years, and we barely heard a peep of what he thought or felt about anything. John Humphrys might have allowed himself a small groan of pain if Wales had lost at rugby, but that was all.
Still, there’s no doubt that Emma brings a new energy to the show. It was quite startling to hear her loud, crazy laughter during an overlong – and actually not funny at all – item about US Secretary of State Antony Blinken playing with a rock band during his trip to Kiev. Still, it gave Amol another chance to insert himself into the story.
“What a story and what a guy,” he said, before moving on to a report on sewage pumping.
There’s no doubt that Emma brings energy to the show, and some of the fun, inclusive magazine atmosphere of Women’s Hour
Before joining Today, Emma said she thought it was a very different program to Woman’s Hour, which was a relief. Interestingly, though, she wasted no time in bringing a bit of WH’s fun, inclusive magazine show vibe to the proceedings.
During an item on sex education in schools, she said: “Some may remember that it came down to a very clumsy teacher putting a condom on a banana, or was that just my experience?” She then – horrified with horror – encouraged listeners to send in their own sexual experiences. “If I can, I’d like to read some of your messages,” she said.
Perhaps the most important part of the show was her interview with James Coates, the son of Nottingham stabbing victim Ian Coates. Following the Court of Appeal’s refusal to commute triple murderer Valdo Calocane’s sentence, an emotional Mr Coates said he felt he had been denied justice.
“I’m so incredibly sorry,” Emma said at one point, clearly close to tears. Today later posted clips of the moment to social media feeds, with Emma looking sad and glassy. There’s 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 an experienced interviewer – one of the best in the business – and I have no doubt about the genuine depth of her emotions. Yet Today was in danger of not only trespassing on Oprah territory, but also 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, who, as always, got the last word.