Campbell denies BBC grudge as he pipes for Parkinson

by Staff,, Brand Republic 26-Mar-04, 13:00

LONDON - Alastair Campbell denies he has any agenda against the BBC in an interview on BBC One's 'Parkinson' this weekend in which the former No 10 media chief is persuaded to take to the stage with his... bagpipes.

The interview is likely to come as a surprise to some, given the vitriol Campbell has expressed towards the BBC and the gloating that took place following the publication of the Hutton Report.

During the interview he talks candidly about his feelings towards the press and the BBC, and the tragic circumstances surrounding the Hutton Report.

In the interview Campbell praises the corporation, retelling a story where he had been asked publicly to name five things that made this country special.

"And I said off the top of my head -- the NHS; our armed forces; our voluntary sector, which is superb; the Premier League, which I think is superb; and the BBC. And I still think that."

Campbell said he still felt, despite the bitter feuding between Number 10 and the BBC during the Hutton affair that cost the BBC its director-general and chairman, that the BBC has a "very special place in Britain's cultural, political and social life".

"I have got no agenda against the BBC whatsoever," Campbell said.

On the Hutton affair and the casualties that the inquiry claimed, he said he thought a lot about Dr David Kelly, the MoD scientist who took his own life when the pressure of being named as the 'Today' journalist Andrew Gillian's source became too much.

"I never lose sight of the fact that the real casualty in that whole thing is David Kelly, who committed suicide, and his family who will never ever get over that and I think about that a lot."

When asked if Dr Kelly's death could have been avoided Campbell was clear where the blame lies and put it squarely at the door of the BBC and the 'Today' programme, whose now infamous two-way weapons of mass destruction story sparked the Hutton Inquiry.

"Well it could certainly have been avoided if that story had never been reported and then been broadcast because it shouldn't have been," Campbell said.

During the interview Campbell also spoke openly about the time, 18 years ago while working at the Daily Mirror, when he suffered a breakdown, which briefly result in being taken into custody by the police.

"I was flattered into doing a job that I should never have taken -- way above my grade at the time," he said, "and I didn't want to admit that I had made a mistake and in fact I knew I'd made a mistake and I started working too hard, drinking too much and I just completely lost the plot and then one day in 1986 I just completely cracked.

"I was actually with Neil Kinnock and he was having a busy day of engagements and I was shadowing him for the day and the police picked me up for my own safety -- and took me in and locked me up."

On a lighter note, Campbell who is well know for his love of bagpipes will play them during his appearance.

Parkinson is broadcast at 9.40pm on Saturday March 27 on BBC One.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the Forum here.