Good afternoon Insiders and a happy holiday to you all, Max Goldbart here seeing out the year. We’re inching slowly towards the holiday and have just got a quick summary of the week’s headlines and some Essentials for you this week.
We’ll be taking a well-earned (we hope!) break next week but back all systems go on Friday January 6. Until then, our heartfelt thanks go out to all you Insider readers.
We are nothing without you. Merry Xmas, Happy Chanukah and a Happy New Year. BBC China woes: Don’t you dare tuck into your turkey without checking out this must-read exclusive investigation from Jake on how a little-known commercial BBC outfit has been producing ads for China’s propaganda machine.
Jake’s in-depth exposé found BBC StoryWorks has partnered with at least 18 Chinese clients including Huawei since 2015. Within a day, lawmaker Lord David Alton, who is banned from China having previously criticized Xi Jinping’s regime, had written to Director General Tim Davie urging a rethink. Clarkson’s harm: Never far from the spotlight, Clarkson’s Farm host Jeremy Clarkson has been generating mass headlines since Friday for a Sun column in which he called for Meghan Markle to be “made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!” and throw lumps of excrement at her.” The column, which has now been retracted, is the most complained about British newspaper article of all time to regulator IPSO, Clarkson has since apologized (ish) and ITV Content boss Kevin Lygo branded the piece “awful” while saying he won’t be stood down from his Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
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