CRIME writer Ian Rankin has described the BBC as a “bunch of fannies” and “numpties” in a poem written to protest against the axing of a radio show.
The Rebus author turned to verse to condemn the Corporation for ditching The Janice Forsyth Show on BBC Radio Scotland.
The Saturday morning show – which mixed contemporary music with celebrity interviews – ran for two decades.
Rankin, who described presenter Forsyth as a “goddess” was among those outraged by the BBC’s decision.
Even Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined in the condemnation, tweeting: “How can BBC Radio Scotland even think about axing the brilliant Janice Forsyth show? They should change their minds?”
But Rankin was moved to pen a 28-line poem, placed on a website called Sabotage Times.
It begins: “Twas in the Year of Our Lord Two-Zero-One-Two/That the numpties of BBC Radio Scotland decided to pu’/The Janice Forsyth Show from its regular slot/Thus enraging the populace with this terribly thought-out plot.”
He goes on:“For those not acquainted, Janice was akin to a goddess/While coming across to her listeners as really quite modest/She would mix music with interviews with the stars of the day-o/And in this respect could be said to resemble Simon Mayo”
Rankin laments all the “bandies” that were given a break in the music business thanks to the show.
He writes: “Saturday mornings without her will leave a hole in her fans’ trannies/So my plea to Radio Scotland is: DON’T DO THIS, YA BUNCH OF FANNIES!”
The Janice Forsyth Show will be axed in July when the station’s Olympic Games programming starts.
The show’s celebrity interviewees include David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Tom Jones and Billy Connolly.
BBC Scotland plans to extend its news and sports coverage to fill the gap left when the show is finally axed in July.
Rankin is not the only Scottish figure to be aghast at the move.
Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos and Labour MSP Cathy Jamieson have also contemned the show’s axing.
A BBC Radio Scotland spokeswoman said: “It’s always difficult when we change schedules, as all our programmes have loyal audiences. But we’ve outlined why [we are axeing the show], which was backed by the BBC Trust.”
