Jeremy Paxman Departs The Jeremy Paxman Show (Newsnight)

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ast week the ‘great lion of BBC journalism’ and ‘the scourge of politicians’ called it a day after 25 years in the saddle as the principle Newsnight anchorman. Of course there was no thanksgiving, tears or even a wobbly lip. The ‘great lion’ did, however, agree to mark his departure by partaking in some minor frivolities, going on a bike ride with Boris and presenting his favourite news item – the weather. Newsnight will certainly be weakened by his departure; it might as well have been called The Jeremy Paxman Show. Fortunately, the ‘scourge of politicians’ won’t disappear entirely as his enthusiasm for reading out tricky questions to bright young things and making high pitched utterances of disdain remains undiminished. 

As a Newsnight anchor I shall miss him, more as an entertainer than as an informer. He had charisma and star quality and was a cut above most of his contemporaries. In a programming era increasingly driven by ‘accessibility’ he was a welcome intellectual bulwark. Indeed, if Jeremy Paxman presents a programme, you know that it comes with a triple A intellectual rating. The questions on University Challenge are as difficult as they ever were.

He’s also quite funny, which I’m not sure is his intention. His pomposity and hauteur almost make him a faintly ridiculous figure. One of my favourite Newsnight episodes was when Jeremy was taken on a tour of Betfair’s office as though he was a royal dignitary. Jeremy could barely conceal his disdain at such vulgarity. He might as well as have said: ‘so my grubby little man – what is it you do exactly?’ Another fond memory is of Jeremy quizzing a BBC programmer as to the merits of the BBC, as a public service broadcaster, making programmes like ‘My Man Boobs and Me’. The BBC programmer could not conceal his grin. I was howling with laughter. 

What I shall not miss is his gladiatorial interviewing style, which became a little tiresome. His opening stance was more or less: ‘so you lying piece of s**t what do you have to say for yourself?’ This made the interview more of an interrogation, shifting the focus onto Jeremy and making the interviewee overly defensive and not particularly forthcoming. Personally, as an interviewer, I have found that Andrew Neil strikes a better balance between inquisition and conciliation. He also has a better grip of economics and business – Paxman could do with an economic primer – and does not treat anyone who he does not deem to be his intellectual equal in a disparaging manner. Still, I suppose this is a key component of what makes Paxman so entertaining. 

Equally, I find the idea of Paxman as a broadcasting maverick a little odd. Yes he was strident in his criticisms of anything he saw as reducing intellectual rigour and quality programming, but ultimately he was quite content to remain in the organisation that he criticised and pick up his reported £800,000 a year pay packet. I’m sure that Jeremy could have earned more in the private sector, but syphoning off £800,000 a year from TV licence payers is not exactly in the spirit of public service broadcasting. It also undermined him when interviewing politicians about pay and expenses. Boris never missed an opportunity to invite Paxman to reveal his remuneration. Unsurprisingly, Paxman never took up Boris’s offer. 

Still, it would be bad form to end on a critical note. Jeremy Paxman entertained and informed during his Newsnight tenure. ‘A rare and dazzling talent’ according to Tony Hall, the BBC Director-General, is not too inflated. I am glad that he will still be on our screens for a bit longer.

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