Fri. Oct 25th, 2024
alert-–-big-bust-up-at-the-bbc-as-radio-5-stars-clash-after-‘tony-livesey-sent-email-slagging-off-co-host-clare-mcdonnell’Alert – Big bust-up at the BBC as Radio 5 stars clash after ‘Tony Livesey sent email slagging off co-host Clare McDonnell’

BBC Radio 5 Live hosts Tony Livesey and Clare McDonnell have fallen out and refused to work with each other again following a ‘message mishap’, according to reports. 

Insiders told The Sun that Tony, 60, sent a message slagging off Clare’s presenting to her by mistake. 

The pair, who have presented BBC Radio 5 Live’s drivetime show together for more than two years, then reportedly had a huge row which has left the station in chaos. 

The source said: ‘She [Clare] no longer wants to work with him and that has caused total chaos at the station. 

‘People are being shifted all over the shop and into different slots, which isn’t going down well.

‘Clare is well within her rights to be angry – but it’s made the atmosphere at 5Live really frosty.’

It comes as this week Clare and Tony alternated as presenters of the drivetime show. 

Clare hosted on Monday and Tuesday alongside Johnny I’Anso, whereas Tony took the reigns on Wednesday and Thursday with Leila Nathoo. 

And earlier this month the BBC confirmed it would be shaking up its presenter schedule permanently. 

Tony will be replaced by Chris Warburton in the drivetime slot from December as he moves to the 10pm show where he started his 5Live career. 

Chris, who has been co-hosting Weekend Breakfast for 10 years, will team up with Clare who will stay presenting her usual show. 

has contacted Tony, Clare and the BBC for comment. 

The BBC has been rocked by a series of scandals in recent months and confirmed in October that it had launched a probe into its workplace culture. 

The review was prompted by the Huw Edwards scandal which saw the well-known news presenter charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.

It also comes after a bullying probe that led to the BBC apologising to Strictly Come Dancing star Amanda Abbington after she reported her dance partner Giovanni Pernice. 

The BBC review will be led by Grahame Russell, the executive chairman and founder of Change Associates, and the report is expected to be published next spring.

It will have a particular focus on ‘preventing abuse of power and ensuring everyone at the BBC conducts themselves in line’ with BBC values, the corporation said.

Announcing the start of the review in an email to staff, BBC chairman Samir Shah said: ‘I cannot emphasise enough that I am fully committed to tackling inappropriate or abusive behaviour.

‘For most of us it is a joy to work for the BBC and that should be the case for everyone. Nobody working in the BBC should ever feel fear or worry while working here.

‘What is clear to me is that we must ensure the BBC is a safe, secure and welcoming workplace for everyone.’

Change Associates previously led the work on the BBC’s 2013 ‘respect at work’ review.

The latest review will assess the progress made on those recommendations and will look at work done in other reviews.

It will focus on a number of aspects including how the BBC can ‘ensure the consequences of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power are understood by everyone and that significant issues are dealt with as soon as they are identified and in a consistent manner’.

If there is more the corporation could do to ‘ensure people feel confident to speak up and for managers and leaders to act decisively’ is also among the focus points.

The final report will make recommendations on practical steps the corporation can take to ‘further strengthen workplace culture’, the BBC has said.

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