Just two days after he retiring from the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the Welshman called out what he saw as “poor news management” and “Kremlin”-style orders from those at the top of the corporation where he worked for 32 years. The 76-year-old recalled how the result of the June 2016 referendum “exposed a fundamental flaw in the culture of the BBC”, with baffled bosses making “no attempt to prevent that this was anything other than a disaster”.

In his new tell-all book serialised in the Daily Mail Mr Humphrys said he was glad to finally be free of the “BBC Thought Police” and said the Beeb lives in “fear of the politically correct brigade”.

Remembering the morning after the Brexit vote, he said: “Leave had won – and that was not what the BBC had expected. Nor what it wanted.

“No nods and smiles when the big bosses appeared.

“No attempt to pretend that this was anything other than a disaster.”

He claimed the BBC was not willing to listen to voters’ concerns over mass immigration and had no time for their scepticism of Brussels and therefore did not see Brexit coming.

And he claimed he was in no doubt that the BBC is home to “institutional liberal bias” and said throughout his career he felt like an outside in the pack which is largely made up of Left-leaning graduates from private schools.

Mr Humphrys went on to attack the BBC, which is owned by its licence-payers, over its handing of the front page story about former China editor Carrie Gracie’s pay.

In January 2018 Ms Gracie announced her resignation from the corporation over its refusal to pay her the same salary as her male colleagues.

DON’T MISS
How Laura Kuenssberg was lured out of BBC contract to take on ITV role[INSIGHT]
Fiona Bruce net worth: BBC star has this impressive fortune[INSIGHT]
ITV GMB: Piers Morgan in furious tirade over BBC salary list[VIDEO]

On the morning the story broke she was standing in as presenter on the BBC’s Today programme alongside Mr Humprhys.

He suggested she appear as an interviewee rather than an interviewer.

But he said his idea to report the story like any other was quickly shot down by his boss who told him: “Umm — no — It’s been decided that she’ll still be presenting”.

“I despaired,” said Mr Humprhys.

“This wasn’t just poor news management. It made the Kremlin circa 1950 look sophisticated.”

Mr Humphrys has interviewed high-profile British politicians including every prime minister from Margaret Thatcher to Theresa May.

Although he did not manage to get Boris Johnson in the hot seat before he resigned he did finish off his tenure at the Today programme way interviewing David Cameron and Tony Blair.

BBC director general Lord Hall said public figures would breathe “a sigh of relief” at Humphrys’ departure due to his intense questioning.

Mr Cameron wrote on Twitter: “Proud to have been John Humphrys’ final ‘subject’ on @BBCr4today.

“Thank you John for 32 years of striking the fear into politicians like me every morning, asking us the questions we don’t always want to answer and calling us to account. It’s an amazing record.”

Despite his fierce criticism of the BBC Mr Humphrys said: “I have not the slightest doubt after half a century in its service that it is a force for good and this country is the stronger for its existence.”

He was the Today programme’s longest-serving presenter.

His book, A Day Like Today, will be released on October 3.

Source: Read Full Article