Gillian Reynolds is the doyen of radio reviewers. She was recently headhunted from the Telegraph by the Sunday Times. That’s quite something given she’s in her early eighties. It’s every radio host’s ambition to get a glowing review from Gillian. Some years ago she said on Radio 4’s Media Show that she found my voice ‘whiny’. Hpwever, a month ago she wrote this in her column…
The third [plaudit] goes to LBC’s Iain Dale for his remarkable interview with David Davis following the Brexit secretary’s resignation. Dale once worked for Davis, knows him well, clearly admires him. Hard questions, coded answers.
Today she reviewed the podcast I do with Jacqui Smith each week…
Podcast of the week: For the Many
A weekly LBC add-on, back numbers available. The right-wing pundit, publisher and LBC phone-in host Iain Dale is teamed with former Labour home secretary Jacqui Smith to talk through the issues of the week. The first few editions weren’t impressive, mostly because she deferred to him. But steadily they’ve found their balance, developing a tone that’s refreshingly frank and smartly wide-ranging. I’m now a regular. Last week’s menu included the latest Rajars, Dale’s imminent on-air replacement by Eddie Mair (she finds Mair “arch”, he admires Jane Garvey, Fi Glover and Ritula Shah; neither rates John Humphrys) and the perplexing state of the Labour Party. Good stuff.
I have to say I never noticed Jacqui ever deferring to me! Also, I certainly don’t recall saying I don’t rate John Humphrys. On his day he is a fantastic presenter, although I do find some of his interviews a bit meandering at the moment.
Anyway, I hope we get some new listeners as a result of this review. You can find us on iTunes, Google podcasts and all other podcast platforms. A new episode is uploaded every Sunday night or Monday morning.
