David Mitchell’s HIGNFY tirade on the BBC and Martin Bashir had everyone applauding

Many people fear the government will use the fallout from the Martin Bashir scandal to take the BBC down a peg or two (or several).

How far the Conservatives go, in terms of structure or funding or whatever, remains to be seen.

And it’s got a lot of people worried including comedian David Mitchell, whose impassioned take on the whole thing on Friday night’s Have I Got News For You went viral because, well, watch.

David Mitchell take a fucking bow.#HIGNFY pic.twitter.com/ixgNrKqL5r

— Steven (@Reachingbroom) May 28, 2021

This is what he had to say.

‘The thing that makes people love the BBC is not the ruddy news. The news is a boring programme. We all know it.

‘And in their desperate attempts to make the news watchable they have stooped to tabloid tactics and that is going to destroy a corporation that is loved for the drama and comedy and documentaries it has produced for decades.

‘And the Tories will cheerfully get rid of that and use this bullshit as an excuse. And Martin Bashir may have unwittingly been the executioner of the BBC.

‘It makes me very angry and bitter but it had to come.’

And just three of the things people were saying about it after the clip went wildly viral on Twitter.

David Mitchell’s tirade against Martin Bashir on #HIGNFY was a thing of utter beauty. Being able to speak like that about the BBC while presenting on the BBC is the reason we need the BBC!

— Stuart Provan (@stuartprovan) May 28, 2021

David Mitchell standing up for the BBC on #HIGNFY drawing the necessary line between current affairs and other programming.

This will end up like the EU; demonised for years with defenders saying "well it's not perfect". We'll lose it and all be worse off for it.

Fuck populism.

— Steven (@Reachingbroom) May 28, 2021

David Mitchell’s rant against Martin Bashir on #HIGNFY tonight was the best piece of television this week by a mile.

Having the freedom to speak like that about the BBC WHILST speaking on the BBC is the reason we NEED the BBC.

Brilliant. pic.twitter.com/w7B2LnsTm1

— Cal (@Panayisalad) May 28, 2021

To conclude …

David Mitchell on the BBC #HIGNFY pic.twitter.com/50BZjzxy3R

— Mr Rocking Gooner (@MrRockingGooner) May 28, 2021

READ MORE

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Source @BBC @Reachingbroom @haveigotnews