Don't panic Captain Grinnell!

Picture the scene…

As a management team you’ve had months to plan the departure of one of your radio station’s biggest stars.

Not only that she has served you for 15 years.

Not only that, you are the BBC.

Smooth, slick, organised, disciplined, measured, understanding conciliatory.

All the things you’d expect. Except that didn’t happen!

Instead there was, in the words of one insider, “pandemonium”.

I have been told that the BBC Radio Devon executive team simply were not prepared for the volume of calls and emails they received after Judi Spiers announced she was being given the shove.

Staff were drafted in to handle calls, systems crashed, and even the lights went out on Simon Bates’ breakfast show!

Journalists asking for a press release were issued with a mealy-mouthed statement about how schedules are often refreshed but, the biggest fiasco involved BBC Spotlight.

The programme editor dispatched a reporter to interview Judi but the package was swiftly re-edited to remove any of that morning’s interview after instructions ‘from above’ (a waste of tax payers’ money anyone)?

And then today, there was further shambolic scenes after Judi announced on air that she had posted a thank you video for listeners on the BBC Devon facebook page…

For some reason known only too themselves, management took it down.

But here’s the rub…

The fearless, tub-thumping, fact seeking, front ‘em up and demand the truth BBC has not put anyone up to face these criticisms.

They were more than happy to sit Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg in their famous ‘hot seat’ this afternoon, and he got a kicking.

So here’s a suggestion:

Make the next guest managing editor Mark Grinnell and demand that he answers listener’s questions about Judi’s ‘sacking’!

Has he got the bottle?

I suggest you don’t hold your collective breaths!