Watch Out, There's A Humphrys About!

Listening to my old chum John Humphrys laying into his boss, Director-General Mark Thompson, on the Radio 4 Toady programme this morning made me wonder how many other people would be prepared to do that in front of an audience of millions.

Thompson was getting a tongue-lashing over the Beeb's rather lame excuses for not running a charity appeal on behalf of Gaza. So far I've seen umpteen BBC execs wheeled out to defend the decision. And despite Humphrys' best efforts, I've still haven't heard anything that remotely justifies the decision.

Mind you, it's a brave soul who goes mano-a-mano with the Splott-born inquisitor. I remember directing a film he was fronting a few years ago, which involved interviewing the execs of a mammoth UK insurance company. At the time they were engaged in a bitter takeover battle. We were wheeled up to the top floor, only to find our minder's key card didn't work at those exulted heights. Fearless, Humprhys began bashing on the door, and after some minutes a short fat man in a suit, purple with rage, opened it. 'I'M THE *@!%ING FINANCE DIRECTOR, NOT THE *@!%ING DOORMAN,' he bellowed at the bewildered presenter of Mastermind. Quick as a shot, Humphrys blasted back with: 'Do you know who I am? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?'

If it hadn't been for the intervention of myself, the crew, and our, by-now, rather sheepish minder I tell you, it would have been handbags at dawn!