James Innes-Smith

Is it any wonder that men are put off by the BBC?

  • From Spectator Life
Line of Duty (Image: BBC)

Is it any surprise that research carried out by the corporation for its annual report found that more than a quarter of men feel that the BBC ‘no longer reflects people like me’?

In a concerted effort to redress gender imbalance men are gradually being airbrushed out. Across much of the BBC men have become something of a rarity. Many of the corporation’s high-profile dramas are now female-focused, including the Pursuit of Love, I May Destroy You, Starstruck and Motherland. Female presenters dominate shows such as BBC Breakfast, The One Show and Songs of Praise. A rejuvenated BBC Three will be almost exclusively female led while Radio 4 has turned into one long episode of Woman’s Hour. 

But you can hardly point the finger at the BBC; its female-centric programming reflects a cultural trend that is rife across society. Take the growing disparity between the way high profile men and women are treated in the public realm. Whatever you may have thought about Matt Hancock’s duplicitousness, some of the personal attacks heaped upon the former Health Secretary would never have been countenanced had the politician in question not been a man.

This casual misandry, often proffered by alpha females who would balk if the tables were turned, has become ubiquitous across politics and the culture more broadly

Women in the public eye may have grown accustomed to being judged on their appearance but these days any criticism is usually levelled at their fashion sense rather than on physical attractiveness. If I were to describe a female politician as ‘ugly’ or ‘punching above her weight’, as has happened with Hancock, I would, quite rightly, be labelled a vile misogynist, not that any such comments would ever make it to print of course. And why is it now fine to drool over male bodies in a way that would be deemed unacceptable the other way round?

I thought we’d agreed not to judge each other based on our immutable characteristics – nobody can help piggy eyes or a weak chin.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in