The John Nathan-Turner story: Sex, paedos and Dr Who at the BBC
IAN Berriman has reviewed The Life And Scandalous Times Of John Nathan-Turner. He died in 2002. In life, he was notable as the producer of the hit BBC TV show Doctor Who (1980-89). Given the revelations about BBC stalwart Jimmy Savile and other allegations levelled against other former BBC employees, the book’s publication is sure to be of interest to the elite in Broadcasting House.
Chapter Eight is entitled “Hanky Panky”. Author Richard Marson asks: “Was John Nathan-Turner a paedophile?”
The given answer is that there is no evidence that he was. In other times that answer to a leading question would be a clear “no”, but things have become relative in the hunt for historical sex abuse at the Beeb.
One other extract is illuminating. Jonathan Powell was the controller of BBC1. Why wasn’t JN-T moved to another show? Powell is quoted:
“What was I going to do with fucking John Nathan-Turner? I didn’t want him doing anything else, because I didn’t think he was good enough. You didn’t want to give him stuff because you didn’t trust him. And the worse the programme got, the less you were going to trust him. I wanted him to fuck off and solve it – or die, really.”
Such was life at the institution some still call ‘Aunty’…
Posted: 13th, March 2013 | In: Books, Celebrities, TV & Radio Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
