logo
George Orwell's son Richard Blair says he feels uncomfortable with some of the author's work

George Orwell's son Richard Blair says he feels uncomfortable with some of the author's work

Independent19-03-2025

George Orwell 's son has expressed concern over some of the contents of his late father's work.
Richard Blair, 80, was adopted by Orwell as the author and his wife struggled to conceive naturally. The British writer is largely considered one of the most influential authors in the 21st century, with 1984 and Animal Farm becoming cultural touchstones and achieving global impact.
But Blair, who describes himself as a 'leftwing Conservative' has not followed in the footsteps of his revolutionary socialist father. He admitted that some of the writer's work makes him 'uncomfortable'.
'He was very black and white about categorising people,' Blair told The Guardian. 'The sandal-wearing, bearded liberal-lefties with sweaters, he didn't like them at all. And shopkeepers were usually rightwing types.'
Asked if he thought his father was a snob, Blair did not have a straightforward answer.
'I don't know,' he said. 'The problem was he spoke with an Old Etonian accent, so that didn't help, did it? When he went to Spain and was introduced to John McNair, the Tynesider, who was with the Independent Labour party, McNair said, 'Christ, who's this bloody tosser?'
'Then he found out he'd written Down and Out in Paris and London and Burmese Days and realised who he was. And he goes: 'Oh, OK!''
Orwell has received some backlash over the years for comments about Jewish people in his book Down and Out in Paris and London. 'Was he antisemitic?' Blair asked. 'From Down and Out in Paris and London, you might say that he was, but I think he was commenting about what other people think of Jews. 'This is not what I think about a Jew, it is what other people think about Jews and I'm just recording it.''
He added: 'I'm not absolutely certain that he disliked Jews any more than he disliked anybody else. He was a bit anti-Scots for a while. But, towards the end, he was actually quite pro‑Scots.
'Had he lived for another 20 years, I think there is no question that he would have revised his thoughts on a lot of what he had written, because he was open to criticism and if he was wrong he would say so.'
Orwell's views on women were another point of controversy as Blair admitted that his father could come across as predatory.
'I would like to think his attitude towards women would have changed, because it's a bit stark,' he said.
Asked if he thought Orwell was misogynistic, Blair replied: 'I think perhaps he was. He did have a roving eye. He pushed the envelope.'
Blair added: 'He had an open mind and he was able to think beyond the norms of everyday living and behaviour. That said, when Blair considered whether his father's views would be accepted today, he responded: 'Probably not'.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Original EastEnders cast now from huge Hollywood role to tragically early death
Original EastEnders cast now from huge Hollywood role to tragically early death

Daily Record

time44 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Original EastEnders cast now from huge Hollywood role to tragically early death

EastEnders first hit our TV screens 40 years ago but what happened to the original Albert Square cast EastEnders might be the quintessential British soap, woven into the fabric of UK culture with its beloved characters, tangled family dramas, and decades of tradition known to generations of viewers. Since its explosive debut in 1985, the show has undergone dramatic transformations - both on screen and off. ‌ From cherished icons who have sadly passed, to cast members who found fame in Hollywood or left the spotlight entirely, here's a look at the original EastEnders cast and where they are now, 40 years later. ‌ Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) Central to many major plots, the landlord 'Dirty Den' is one of the most iconic characters in the history of British soaps. In real life, Leslie Grantham's life was full of controversy from before even joining the show. While serving the British army in West Germany in 1965, Grantham attempted to rob a taxi driver and ended up shooting him in the head. He was convicted of murder and spent 10 years in prison, and decided to pursue acting after being released. After his EastEnders days - which ended because of an internet sex scandal he became involved in - he appeared in two UK tours of a stage adaptation of Beyond Reasonable Doubt, starred in police drama series The Bill, and had a cameo in the 25th anniversary episode of EastEnders. Grantham passed away in 2018, aged 71, of lung cancer. Dot Cotton (June Brown) Few characters in British soap history are as recognisable - or as beloved - as Dot Cotton. Played by June Brown, Dot was introduced in 1985 as a laundrette worker with a complicated son and a deep sense of morality. ‌ June Brown stayed with the show, on and off, for 35 years. She made her final on-screen appearance in 2020, when Dot left Walford for Ireland. The BBC made clear the door was left open for her return, even leaving her dressing room untouched. But June died in April 2022, aged 95. Her impact was such that Dot's off-screen death was treated with reverence in a special episode later that year. Brown, who had been partially blind in her later years, was awarded an MBE in 2008 and a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 British Soap Awards. ‌ Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) Pauline was the heart of Albert Square's longest-running family, the Fowlers. Pauline's storylines spanned domestic abuse, teenage pregnancy, and family tragedy - culminating in her dramatic death on Christmas Day 2006, after being struck with a frying pan and left to die in the snow. Wendy Richard, a veteran of Are You Being Served?, remained on EastEnders for over two decades. Her departure marked the end of an era. She was diagnosed with cancer shortly after leaving the show and died in 2009, aged 65. Richard had received an MBE in 2000 and remains one of the soap's most iconic faces. ‌ Angie Watts (Anita Dobson) The original Queen Vic landlady, Anita Dobson played Angie with raw emotional depth, especially during the infamous 1986 Christmas Day episode where Den handed Angie divorce papers. Dobson left in 1988, despite producers pleading for her to stay. Angie was later killed off-screen in 2002, having died from alcohol poisoning. ‌ Anita, now 75, went on to enjoy a successful career in theatre and TV, including Doctor Who and Call the Midwife. She married Queen guitarist Brian May in 2000 and remains one of the most respected actors to come out of the show. Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher) Arthur Fowler was the everyman of EastEnders: kind, flawed, and a victim of life's pressures. Treacher asked to leave the show in 1995 after being warned that the stress of filming could be fatal. ‌ Arthur was written out in a powerful storyline that ended in his death from a brain haemorrhage. Bill went on to appear in George and the Dragon alongside Patrick Swayze and continued acting until the early 2000s. He died in 2022 at the age of 92. Nick Cotton (John Altman) The villain you loved to hate, with his sneering grin and leather jacket, Nick Cotton was EastEnders' first true bad boy. John Altman played Nick across multiple stints from 1985 to 2015. ‌ His final appearance saw Nick die of a heroin overdose in front of Dot - a grim end to one of the Square's most notorious characters. Altman, now 72, has appeared in The Real Marigold Hotel, indie films, and continues to work, including roles in horror and theatre. Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) Introduced as the adopted daughter of Den and Angie, Sharon was the glam of EastEnders throughout the '90s, involved in love triangles and betrayals. ‌ Letitia Dean left the show in 1995, returned in 2001, left again in 2006, and came back for good in 2012. Now 57, she remains a central figure in Walford, with major storylines as recently as 2024. Dean has remained fiercely private off-screen but is one of the few original characters still part of the current cast. Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) Michelle made headlines from the moment she first appeared, thanks to the storyline involving her teenage pregnancy. Susan Tully played her until 1995, after which she stepped away from acting entirely. ‌ She re-emerged behind the camera, directing episodes of Silent Witness, Line of Duty, and The A Word. Now 57, she is considered one of the UK's most respected TV directors. When Michelle returned to the show in 2016, she was played by a new actress, Jenna Russell. Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) A gossip with a heart of gold, Ethel Skinner was a former music hall star who brought old-school charm to Walford. Her most moving storyline came in 2000, when, gravely ill, she asked her best friend Dot to help end her life - an episode that pushed the BBC into controversy territory. ‌ It was also Franklin's final performance. She died in 2005 aged 94, having reportedly insisted Ethel never be recast. Pete Beale (Peter Dean) Pete Beale was a rough-edged but well-meaning character, married to Pat, then Kathy, and clashing frequently with son Ian. Peter Dean played Pete until 1993, when the character was killed off-screen in a car crash during a dramatic twist by new producers. ‌ Dean later criticised the decision, saying he was 'devastated' not to film his exit. The actor made a few TV appearances afterwards - including The Real EastEnders - but mostly stepped back from the limelight, and is now in his early 80s. Lofty Holloway (Tom Watt) In a square full of loudmouths and schemers, Lofty Holloway was kind-hearted and socially awkward and painfully sincere. His exit in 1988 was equally low-key: a letter and a goodbye. ‌ Tom Watt made a surprise return for Lofty in 2019 during the funeral of Dr. Legg, but otherwise, he went on to become a football writer and ghost-wrote David Beckham's autobiography. Though rarely seen on screen these days, he's found success behind the scenes in sports broadcasting. Lou Beale (Anna Wing) The Beale matriarch was the first character to be created for EastEnders, and got killed off in 1988 - but not before making it clear to her nearest and dearest exactly what she thought of each of them. ‌ She even managed to come to a truce with nemesis Pat. After leaving EastEnders, Wing still worked on stage productions, had numerous television roles, and appeared alongside Orlando Bloom in The Calcium Kid. She also had roles in critically acclaimed films and earned an MBE in 2006. Wing died at the age of 98 from natural causes. Sue Osman (Sandy Ratcliff) ‌ One half of Walford's first married couple, Sue Osman was at the centre of one of EastEnders' earliest and most harrowing storylines - the sudden death of her baby from cot death. The powerful plot helped establish the show's reputation for tackling real-life issues head-on. Sue struggled with mental health in later episodes before being written out in 1989. Off-screen, actress Sandy Ratcliff battled addiction, but later retrained as a counsellor. She died in 2019, aged 70. Simon Wicks (Nick Berry) ‌ A teenage heartthrob, Simon Wicks quickly became one of EastEnders' most popular early characters. His love triangles, family feuds, and musical talents earned him a brief pop career – including a No. 1 hit with Every Loser Wins. After leaving the soap in 1990, Nick Berry found further fame in Heartbeat and later ran his own production company. Now 61, he's retired from acting and lives a quiet life away from the spotlight. Dr Legg (Leonard Fenton) ‌ One of Albert Square's quietest figures, Dr Legg was a comforting presence through the show's early years. Though he left full-time in 1997, he returned regularly for weddings, funerals, and major moments. His final appearance in 2019, when the character died of pancreatic cancer, gave long-time fans a moving farewell. Leonard Fenton died in 2022, aged 95. Mary Smith (Linda Davidson) ‌ Known as 'Mary the Punk,' she was one of the Square's most striking residents: a single mum with bright hair, attitude, and a complicated life. Mary's struggles with parenting and sex work pushed boundaries at the time, but her exit in 1988 came quietly. Linda Davidson left acting in the '90s to work behind the scenes at the BBC and later held executive roles at major digital companies, including the Jamie Oliver Group. Tony Carpenter (Oscar James) ‌ As one of the first Black characters on EastEnders, Tony Carpenter made TV history. A builder with a quick temper and a complicated family life, he stayed in Walford for just two years. A fter the soap, Oscar James appeared in everything from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Shakespeare. Now 82, he's retired from acting. Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih) ‌ Taxi driver Ali Osman had a turbulent time in Walford, involving gambling problems, money struggles, and the heartbreak of losing his son Hassan. His relationship with Sue was central to the show's early drama. Ali left the Square in 1989, and actor Nejdet Salih made only a few small TV appearances afterward. He later had a role in the Pirates of the Caribbean films and still acts occasionally. Kelvin Carpenter (Paul J. Medford) ‌ One of the Square's smartest teens, Kelvin Carpenter balanced school, ambition, and working-class grit. He stood out as a rare positive portrayal of Black youth on '80s TV. Kelvin left in 1987 to go to university, and Paul J. Medford moved into stage roles before transitioning to a successful executive career. Since 2019, he's been a vice-president at Nickelodeon. Debbie Wilkins (Shirley Cheriton) Debbie Wilkins was the Square's arty, middle-class outsider - a university-educated character who stood out among her less academic neighbours. ‌ She left in 1987 after a short run and never returned. Actress Shirley Cheriton largely stepped back from the spotlight, but had a handful of roles on stage and TV, including the 2009 comedy FM. She's now 69. Andy O'Brien (Ross Davidson) A mild-mannered nurse, Andy O'Brien made EastEnders history by being the first character ever killed off - in a dramatic road accident in 1986. ‌ Actor Ross Davidson later starred in Brookside and Hollyoaks before passing away from brain cancer in 2006, aged 57. Saeed Jeffrey (Andrew Johnson) Saeed Jeffrey, Walford's shopkeeper, had a short and troubled time on the Square. His arranged marriage to Naima and cultural struggles caused controversy both in and outside the show, and he left after just ten months. Actor Andrew Johnson moved to the US, where he appeared in Murder, She Wrote and Inspector Morse, before stepping away from acting. Now 70, his last known screen role was in 2019.

Putting trigger warnings on George Orwell's 1984 is the most stupid, 1984ish thing ever
Putting trigger warnings on George Orwell's 1984 is the most stupid, 1984ish thing ever

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

Putting trigger warnings on George Orwell's 1984 is the most stupid, 1984ish thing ever

' Orwell will be turning in his grave,' read one of the online comments posted in response to yesterday's piece about 1984 getting a trigger warning. 'Turning'? I think it's more likely he'll be laughing. What, after all, could be more of a validation, a rubber-stamping, and an 'I told you so' – delivered through a megaphone – than a thoughtcrime conviction for a futuristic cautionary tale… about thoughtcrimes, published 76 years ago? In the introductory essay featured in the new 75th anniversary edition, US novelist Dolen Perkins-Valdez describes the book's protagonist, Winston Smith, as 'problematic'. So much so that it may once have led to her abandoning the book, she admits. Warning modern readers that they may find his views on women 'despicable', she writes: 'For example, we learn of him, 'He disliked nearly all women, and especially the young and pretty ones.'' Whoa, wait a minute, Orwell. There's so much to unpack here. First, that with everything currently going on in the world – you know, the rise of modern totalitarianism, technology spying on us and all that – Winston Smith's view of women should be the main area of focus. Second, that word 'problematic', which almost always precedes something cretinous, but in this context was genuinely baffling. Name one successful novel, TV show or film that doesn't feature a 'problematic' character, and I will show you something I have no interest in reading or watching. Do you know anybody who enjoys reading about nice, blameless people going about their nice, blameless lives? I don't. Also, by all means, find Smith's views of women despicable – when you start reading the book, but not before. If and when you are appalled by his behaviour, let that not be off-putting, but a jumping-off point for meaty discussions; an opening up of your mind to human complexities. Someone who has been eloquent on this subject is the British Museum's brilliant new director, Nicholas Cullinan. Asked recently whether he agreed with the idea of trigger warnings and apologies on museum labels, Cullinan replied: 'Labels should be accurate, not partisan or political or conforming to a contemporary fad.' For me, the most extraordinary aspect of trigger warnings has always been their pomposity: the implicit conviction that in 2025, our view is not only more enlightened than any view that came before, but the final word on the subject. Unlike Orwell's, I suspect that those words will look embarrassingly outdated in just a couple of years.

Cynthia Erivo crowned best actress at BET Awards
Cynthia Erivo crowned best actress at BET Awards

Wales Online

timean hour ago

  • Wales Online

Cynthia Erivo crowned best actress at BET Awards

Cynthia Erivo crowned best actress at BET Awards There were also awards for Doechii and Kendrick Lamar British singer and actress Cynthia Erivo was crowned best actress at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards (Image: Invision ) British singer and actress Cynthia Erivo was crowned best actress at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in Los Angeles. Hosted by Kevin Hart, Monday's BET Awards celebrated the work of black people in music, entertainment, film, sports and philanthropy. ‌ The London-born star, who rose to worldwide prominence last year for her role in Wicked, was also nominated for the BET Her Award - which recognises empowering songs that focus on women - for her rendition of Defying Gravity. ‌ Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii used her acceptance speech to sharply criticise US President Donald Trump's handling of protests in Los Angeles. Collecting the award for best female hip-hop artist, she accused the president of "creating fear and chaos" in his response to demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, which sparked days of protest across the city. "I do want to address what's happening right now, outside the building," she said. Article continues below "These are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities. In the name of law and order, Trump is using military forces to stop a protest, and I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be, when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us." Mr Trump announced plans to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to California to quell the protests, which began on Friday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move was "essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States". ‌ The decision drew sharp criticism from Democratic politicians, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move "purposefully inflammatory". London-based girl-group FLO missed out after picking up nominations for best group and the Bet Her award for their track In My Bag, featuring GloRilla. Fellow UK artists Bashy and Ezra Collective earned nominations for best international artist, while multi-genre artist Odeal and R&B singer kwn were shortlisted for best new international act. ‌ Kendrick Lamar, who led the pack with 10 nominations, took home awards for album of the year and best male hip-hop artist. He also won video of the year and video director of the year for his hit Not Like Us, as well as best collaboration for Luther, his track with SZA SZA won best female R&B/pop artist, while Chris Brown took home best male R&B/pop artist. Article continues below The evening featured a star-studded cast, including actor Jamie Foxx, with performances by Ashanti, Mariah Carey and GloRilla. Foxx, Carey, gospel star Kirk Franklin and Snoop Dogg were honoured with the ultimate icon award for their contributions to community, entertainment, and advocacy. Miles Canton, Luke James and Lucky Daye delivered an R&B tribute to Quincy Jones, who died in November.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store