'With his immense intellect, authority, and respect from students and viewers alike, Jeremy hands over a format, and show, as strong as ever. And he said he "deeply regrets" his incendiary words. "Amol is an experienced BBC journalist who reports on all of the topics he covers in an impartial way and in line with the BBC's editorial guidelines. I am very conscious that in the late, great Bamber, and that giant of British culture, Jeremy, I have vast shoes to fill. . Meghan And The Media - to accompany broadcaster Amol Rajan's BBC2 . The heartfelt reason Kate and Prince William chose the name Charlotte for their daughter - who turns eight Charlotte is terrific in Trotters! [5] Which is to say, only one side thinks there is one. When it was announced this week that Paxman would be stepping down, Samira Ahmed, a fellow BBC presenter, publicly stated that she was unhappy with the application system. After spending two years as a mic boy on Channel 5's daytime talk show The Wright Stuff, Rajan joined The Independent newspaper in 2007. OK, but these are distant past events. The journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan has been announced as the new host of University Challenge, taking over from Jeremy Paxman. Who is Amol Rajan? BBC journalist announced as the new host of - Yahoo! Rajans presenting style has begun to attract comment from even the most cautious of commentators, with the Financial Times recently describing him dryly as the BBCs increasingly ubiquitous presenter. . ", He added: "I'm completely committed to impartiality and hope our recent programmes can be judged on their merits.". A single exchange on Fridays show explains what I mean. Metro.co.uk has contracted BBC for comment on this story, while Lillian Crawford declined a request to comment. . The whole point of working for these people for half the money you could get elsewhere is so that you can convince yourself youre Deep Throat because youve divulged a spat about a tiara. Amol is an experienced BBC journalist who reports on all of the topics he covers in an impartial way and in line with the BBC's editorial guidelines. Rajan, 39, will combine the role with his other jobs presenting episodes of Radio 4s Today programme and his own television interview series. My gap year there coincided almost exactly with 9/11 and the year after. In June 2014, Mr Paxman left BBC current affairs programme Newsnight after 25 years as its presenter. He went on to share that he was conscious of following in the footsteps of the late great Bamber Gascoigne,who died last year after a short illness, and Paxman, who fronted the programme for 28 years. [See also: Prince Harrys attack on the tabloids ignores the real media pirates]. Pregnant Rihanna looks like a bride in elaborate white dress as she FINALLY Anne Hathaway brings back the Versace safety pin dress at the Met Gala three decades after Liz Hurley Bill's in Vogue! Amol Rajan Interviews on BBC2 grills guests on the big issues I'm fashionably late, baby! However, she went on to claim someone high up at the BBC chose someone else, who turned out not to be Rajan. The journalist and broadcaster said: 'I've had a blast hosting this wonderful series for nearly 29 years. Ahmed, who previously won an unequal pay claim against the BBC, said she had approached the production team about the job, having worked on the show as a stand-by presenter for the past year. Jamie Oliver seen with Jock Zonfrillo just hours before his death was announced, Bride and Prejudice reality star dies after being hit by intoxicated driver, MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo dies aged 46 leaving family devastated. BBC news: Amol Rajan faces backlash after royal apology - Express 'It's the best possible antidote to cynicism about young people, allowing millions of us to test our wits against the best minds of a new generation, and annoy and impress our families by barking answers from the sofa.'. By Rachel Cooke Photo by Getty Images What's the collective noun for royal correspondents? Earlier this week, Lillian Crawford shared how she had originally been excited to see former standby presenter Samira Ahmed, 54, as the new host. Amol Rajan, who presented the controversial beeb documentary The Princes And The Press, wrote a number of remarks about the royals in The Independent back in 2012. . You were barely tolerated: the end. I cant help feeling something rather similar is happening with the continuing saga of the Rajan documentary, in which the behaviour of the royal households and some newspapers will ultimately be found to be the fault of the BBC. Born in Leeds, Mr Paxman started his career in 1972 on the BBC's graduate trainee programme, working in local radio and reporting on the Troubles in Belfast. A year before he became editor of The Independent at the age of 29, he used its pages to launch an extraordinary attack on the Royal Family, slating the Duke of Edinburgh as a racist buffoon, the Prince of Wales as scientifically illiterate, and describing the Queens Diamond Jubilee as little more than the industrialisation of mediocrity. Rajan also came under fire after he presented a controversial BBC documentary titled The Princes And The Press, which explored William and Harry's relationship with the media. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. He continues in this. This past weeks standout has been the full-spectrum warfare unleashed by the tabloids on the BBCs Amol Rajan for having the temerity to make a documentary about Princes William and Harry who you will, of course, barely ever read about in the tabloids. The broadcaster said the Duchess of Sussex had asked it to 'clarify' that she had, in fact, apologised for 'not remembering' asking her former PR chief to help with the controversial royal biography Finding Freedom. His bumptiousness was quite off the scale some tracts of the programme were little less than The Amol Rajan Show. 'Parkinson's is incurable, so you're stuck with it. In this sense, these correspondents have all walked straight into Rajans trap. I'm about to throw a brick at Kate and Wills and would love a good cat sanctuary right now. University Challenge really is my favourite programme. The piece described the jubilee as 'little more than the industrialisation of mediocrity' and was also critical of the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex. BBC gives first look at Amol Rajan and new University - Daily Mail Amol Rajan will take over from Jeremy Paxman as host of University Challenge from autumn 2023, the BBC revealed today. All rights reserved. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning. Bloody people, he remarked to William and Harry, before catching sight of the BBCs Nicholas Witchell. Call this healthy? I have watched University Challenge obsessively for years, addicted to its high standards, glorious title music, and inspirational contestants, he said. Its modernisation of a kind and it certainly says something about Rajans irrepressible rise at the BBC. I long to know which editors William has entertained to drinks, and whether Harry will press on with his various legal cases against the newspapers its fascinating that Meghans lawyer, Jenny Afia of Schillings, appears in these films with the duchesss agreement. After the remarks resurfaced, he tweeted: 'In reference to very reasonable questions about some foolish commentary from a former life, I want to say I deeply regret it.'. Amol Rajan was behind the microphone and it was his name that got the first mention. I have watched University Challenge obsessively for years, addicted to its high standards, glorious title music, and inspirational contestants. "All BBC current affairs output is required. Your new guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture each weekend - from the New Statesman. He was raised in Tooting, south-west London, and, after attending Graveney School, took a gap year to work in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before going on to read English literature at Downing College, Cambridge. Earlier this year his 'world exclusive' interview with tennis star Novak Djokovic faced criticism for airing the Serbian ace's anti-vax views. Rebecca English For Daily Mail. BBC journalist Amol Rajan apologises for 'rude and immature' comments He also reportedly urged the couple to "renounce the luxuries of royal patronage and aristocracy" and said of other royals: "Aside from the Queen whose public image is crafted by an ever-expanding team of propagandists this clan is unusually full of fools". Rajan had previously worked for Lebedev as a media adviser. Amol Rajan joined the Today presenting team in 2021. The BBCs media editor, 39, was confirmed to be taking over from Paxman last year, after the 72 year old announced he was stepping down after nearly three decades. In the days and hours before The Princes and the Press screened, some parts of the media were in a right old flap. His posting made Fleet Street history as Rajan became the first non-white editor of a mainstream national newspaper. Lily James steals the spotlight in a dramatic leather gown as she flies Met Gala 2023: Kate Moss, 49, slips into a pink lingerie inspired gown as she coordinates with lookalike Met Gala 2023: Brooklyn Beckham looks lovingly at wife Nicola Peltz as she wears a flowing white gown with Baring it all! The BBC's 2021/22 annual report showed Rajan was on a salary of 325,000-329,999 and is expected to be paid more as the host of University Challenge. University Challenge: Former question writer hits out at Amol Rajan View our online Press Pack. Partly down to jealousy perhaps, because he has risen so speedily and some of them are slightly puzzled by that. If you want a more contemporary instance of timing, the Mail on Sunday only this week lost its appeal against a privacy action brought by Meghan yet no one is suggesting they suspend all coverage of her. I suspect that at that age he was busier making the tea than intervening in major diplomatic incidents around the world. Anonymous briefing is the royal beats lifeblood, helped by the fact royal households are famously Earths most bitchy workplaces (not even newspaper offices or the BBC come close). But my absolute favourite part of this story is that the BBC was widely reported to have been punished by Charles for it having its reporters not called at press conferences, a documentary about Camilla given to ITV, and so on. (modern), The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Rabat, Morocco, February 2019. truly vintage week for hypocrisy in an industry I simply cannot take seriously: the newspaper industry. And it was this week claimed members of the Royal family were mulling over their next steps, with legal reps reported to have watched the second instalment when it aired on Tuesday. Amol is a journalist (Picture: John Phillips/Getty Images for Advertising Week) Originally from Calcutta, India, he moved to London. Amol Rajan's Royal Stumble: Why the BBC's 'Princes vs. Press - Substack A BBC journalist was today slammed for joking about throwing a brick at Kate Middleton and Prince William in unearthed tweets. Hes so awful, he really is. Decades of absolute obsequiousness from Witchell, and this is what he gets for it. When he takes up the University Challenge job he will be stepping down as BBC media editor, a post he has held for six years. A sycophancy? The 39-year-old journalist has been named as the new host of BBC quiz show University Challenge, taking over from seasoned broadcaster Jeremy Paxman. The broadcaster had been the host of the BBC show since 1994, making him the longest-serving quizmaster on UK TV.