Last month The Guardian published a cartoon of BBC chairman Richard Sharp, pictured, following his resignation. The caricature was widely condemned as anti-Semitic and the paper withdrew it, citing “failures in our editorial processes”. The cartoonist, Martin Rowson, apologised for “carelessness and thoughtlessness”. But last night Henny Beaumont, a fellow cartoonist at The Guardian, criticised Rowson and the newspaper.
Speaking at an Islington Art Society event in Stoke Newington Town Hall, Beaumont said carelessness was not a sufficient excuse. She also queried why The Guardian chose that cartoon. “You pitch three ideas ... It will have to go through quite a stringent editing process before they choose it, so in relation to Martin Rowson I’m curious about how that happened, how the cartoon got through,” Beaumont said.
Boehly abandons plans for Stamford Bridge music venue
Chelsea Football Club owner Todd Boehly is scrapping his plan for an all-day music venue outside Stamford Bridge after facing pressure from nearby residents. Hundreds of locals objected to the proposal when it was announced earlier this year. In a letter to residents this week, the club’s President of Business Tom Glick said: “Our primary concern is building a strong relationship with our neighbours. We want to do that independently from those applications.” American businessman Boehly recently boasted: “We’ve got an unbelievable location in the top city in the world.” Wings clipped?
Nigella Lawson wags finger at toxic Twitter users
Nigella Lawson says “the main drag of Twitter... can feel a bit toxic” nowadays, but loves her “little patch” of the platform where amateur bakers share their efforts. Lawson tells The Age magazine she goes “a bit stern nanny” if people write rude comments under photos of unsuccessful home bakes. So all abilities are welcome, just mind your Ps and Qs if you want to stay in Nigella’s corner of cyberspace.
Clive Myrie says BBC lack of diversity threatens its longevity
BBC journalist Clive Myrie says a lack of ethnic diversity in the newsroom “represents an existential threat” to the BBC. “The idea that you’re only going to have white males broadcasting is just dumb,” he told XCity. “You need to see the evidence on screen,” says Myrie, a newsreader and the presenter of Mastermind. “For people of colour and queer people, we’re getting a foot in the door now. People like us are finally being heard,” he says.
On your marks for StartUP
Last night Dame Kelly Holmes attended the launch of new Amazon series Ready Set StartUP, a business-themed reality TV show, at The May Fair Hotel. Off Piccadilly Circus, model Liberty Ross and artist Nadia Lee Cohen marked the start of Photo London 2023 with a party at Dover Street Market. Also celebrating snaps were photographer Campbell Addy, fashion designer Pam Hogg and model Bee Beardsworth at Addy’s new photography exhibiton I LOVE CAMPBELL at 180 Studios.
