OVER DEZE AFLEVERING
Richard Peppiatt's published an open letter to Richard Desmond, saying he was quitting his job at the Daily Star on several points of principle. He says he was asked to make up stories (the Star denies this) and was unhappy about the Star's coverage of Muslims in Britain. So, having admitted that he wrote stories he knew to be untrue, does he have a future in journalism?
Last week the government decided not to refer News Corp's bid for BSkyB to the competition commission. This followed a report from Ofcom that suggested that increasing News Corp's ownership of the British media might lead to plurality issues. Ed Richards, the chief executive of Ofcom, joins Steve to discuss where Ofcom stands.
Jason Gardiner, a judge on ITV's Dancing on Ice, is in trouble again over his acerbic comments and insults to the contestants. Gardiner is the latest in a long line of catty judges from "nasty" Nigel Lythgoe to Simon Cowell. But do all talent shows need a pantomime villain? Nina Myskow, 1980s talent show judge known for her cutting criticism, discusses why the spats between judges now make more headlines than the efforts of the contestants.
The Producer is Simon Tillotson.
