Latest news with #HelenThomas
Daily Mail
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC accused of tarnishing Steve Wright's legacy, as colleague and friend savages corporation over late Radio 2 legend's treatment
A colleague and friend of Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright has accused the BBC of tarnishing his legacy and mistreating the star in the lead up to his death. Wright, 69, died from a ruptured stomach ulcer in February last year, according to his death certificate, leaving thousands of fans of the beloved radio personality heartbroken. His colleague Anthony James, who worked on the music on Steve Wright in the Afternoon and Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs, has said he is unhappy with the BBC's handling of his friend's career - both before and after his death. In 2022, Wright was axed from the BBC, despite the success of his show being 'through the roof'. The star admitted to James that he had been told of its cancellation and sworn to secrecy by the corporation nine months beforehand. However, he believed he had been reassured by Helen Thomas, the head of BBC Radio 2, that the show would continue via a new digital channel. When the months went by with no word on this, Wright was said to have approached director-general Tim Davie, who allegedly told Wright: 'I can't believe she fired you… I wouldn't have fired you myself.' The BBC has denied this. James claimed the axing of Steve Wright in the Afternoon was part of a move by the BBC to ban broadcasters considered too 'pale, male and stale'. He told The Telegraph: 'They thought that this idea of personality is old style; it's not cool anymore, we should make Radio 2 cool. 'But who gives a s*** about cool? It's about being entertained.' James claimed the effect of the sacking on Wright's physical and mental health was devastating. 'He didn't really stop to accept it. I think it ate him up,' he said. 'It got worse, and his health got worse.' Later this month, BBC Radio 2 will broadcast a tribute concert for Wright in his memory. Thomas previously wrote to James last year, seeking permission to play his music in a BBC tribute concert for Wright. He initially agreed, but later told Thomas he did not plan to attend. In the week before the concert, she allegedly suggested the event would be a good opportunity to network. 'This is not about networking. This is about a tribute to my friend,' James said. James believes the last-minute push to honour Wright was driven by concern that his absence would 'look bad' for the BBC. The BBC said in a statement: 'Steve was deeply loved by the Radio 2 family and listeners, and we all miss him dearly. For almost three decades he hosted a raft of brilliant shows on the network. 'Steve's Sunday Love Songs had been on air since 1996 and he was excited to take on the legendary Pick of the Pops alongside a variety of specials on Radio 2 including Steve Wright: The Best of the Guests, Steve Wright's Summer Nights and Steve Wright's Love Songs Extra on BBC Sounds.'
BBC News
06-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
People with learning disability meet 999 crews in Cornwall
Adults with learning disabilities have been encouraged to ask emergency services for help when they need it at a special 18th annual Blue Light Day held at the Royal Cornwall Showground on Wednesday saw hundreds of people interact with members of the police, fire service and of the day involved people being able to become more familiar with the uniforms, jobs and kit used by the emergency Community Sergeant for Cornwall Sgt Flo Linscott said the day was "very special for us, especially for this community who are seldom heard". Helen Thomas, safeguarding officer for Cornwall's fire service, said: "It can be quite scary if you see any emergency service vehicles and we're all in uniform, with blue lights, big vehicles and lots of us."It can be quite intimidating so it's great for people to be able to come and have a chat and sit in the truck at a lower level when it's nice and calm and relaxed."Student Louis was interested in the firearms shown by Devon and Cornwall Police said: "It's fun as there's a lot of stuff to see and do here." Ben was one of the community diversity champions who helped organise the said: "I think the police are one of the most helpful people around in Cornwall because they help you so much with stuff during the Blue Light Day. "I think this is one of the things that most people don't realise - Blue Light is the most important day for day centres to come down because it's one of the things they can all get introduced to." 'Building bridges' Diverse Community Sergeant for Cornwall Sgt Flo Linscott said sometimes people with learning disabilities do not report crimes or incidents to said: "It's even more important for us to try and make bridges into those communities and their carers, guardians and families to say 'look we're here, we want to listen if you've been discriminated against'."So that's one of the things - building those bridges, building those links into the community and helping them understand that yes we're the police but we want to listen as well, we want to help in some way, which usually we can."Sgt Linscott added: "Like I said, it's all about those relationships, and if we can form a relationship, those people will come to us direct."
Bloomberg
30-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
In Defense of Donald Trump's First Five Months
Pippa Malmgren, former adviser to President George W. Bush, and Helen Thomas, CEO of BlondeMoney, join Merryn Talks Money to review his second term so far. By Save Subscribe to Merryn Talks Money on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to Merryn Talks Money on Spotify Days after Donald Trump's election victory in November, we sat down with Pippa Malmgren, founder and chief executive officer of the Geopolitica Institute and former adviser to Republican President George W. Bush, and Helen Thomas, CEO of the consultancy BlondeMoney and former special adviser at the UK Treasury, to ask what they expected out of the US president's second term.
Sky News
25-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Welfare, telecoms and non-dom tax
As MPs push back against reforms to the welfare system, Darren McCaffrey speaks to Helen Thomas, former adviser to George Osborne and chief executive of financial consultancy firm Blonde Money. Arun Advani, director of the independent Centre for the Analysis of Taxation, joins to talk about Labour's non-dom tax policy. And Darren looks at the Thames Freeport, which is getting a critical infrastructure upgrade, with US telecoms giant Verizon contracted to build a 5G network.
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Stunning Scottish isle used as setting for BBC's Walking With Dinosaurs
The isle stands in for prehistoric Alberta in Walking With Dinosaurs, home to deadly predators from 71 million years ago. Scotland's Isle of Skye, best known for its dramatic cliffs, medieval castles and fishing villages, has taken on a more ferocious role, as the ancient hunting ground of a pack of deadly predators from 71 million years ago. The rugged Hebridean landscape stands in for prehistoric Alberta, Canada in an episode of BBC One's recent hit series Walking With Dinosaurs . In episode four, titled The Pack, viewers met Rose, a young Albertosaurus brought to life using cutting-edge CGI, forensic science and some surprisingly low-tech tools. Albertosaurus, a distant and faster relative of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex, is believed to have hunted in packs, making it one of the most formidable carnivores of the late Cretaceous period, Express reports. Palaeontologists uncovered Rose's fossilised remains in Drumheller, Alberta, and CT scanning was used to digitally reconstruct her brain and build a scientifically accurate model. But not all the production magic happened in high-tech labs. Behind the scenes, Skye stood in as the dramatic backdrop for Rose's on-screen adventures, offering terrain strikingly similar to that of ancient Alberta. 'There's a 'making-of' chapter in the book and what may be of interest is a lot of the background in what is shown as Alberta, Canada, was actually filmed on the Isle of Skye,' said Helen Thomas, senior executive producer of the series and co-author of the official companion book. Filming prehistoric giants amid Scotland's raw and windswept scenery came with its own challenges, not least the unusual sight of crew members wielding tennis balls and broomsticks to help visualise the dinosaurs. 'You take blue cut-outs of the heads of these creatures, which are quite large, and then a member of the production team will have a tennis ball or something representing the other end,' Helen explained. She added: 'You have people dressed all in blue and you've got them holding blue heads, and then you get somebody else with a broom pole with a blue tennis ball on top, that's there for the tip of the tail. "And the director of photography and the cameraman have to imagine what's in between and how that's moving.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. This inventive mix of imagination and science is at the heart of the BBC's ground-breaking series. Every detail is crafted to bring viewers as close as possible to the prehistoric world, while remaining rooted in scientific evidence. 'They have to have the most amazing imaginations and we have to make sure it's scientifically accurate,' said Helen. In the third episode, Band of Brothers, audiences met George, a heavily armoured juvenile Gastonia, who forms a herd with fellow youngsters in a bid to survive the looming threat of Utahraptor attacks. The companion book, Walking With Dinosaurs: Uncovering the Secret Stories of Prehistoric Life by Andrew Cohen, Helen Thomas and Kirsty Wilson (DK, £25), is available now.
