John Hardie: Last News

The UK’s new Culture Secretary has accused the BBC of being biased, but failed to provide a single example of where the broadcaster has broken its commitment to impartiality.

It’s Friday, aka Insider Day. Jesse Whittock back again to run you through the international film and TV stories dominating the headlines this week. 

Star BBC presenters such as Gary Lineker should avoid overt “political campaigning,” according to new rules recommended in an independent report for the UK’s public broadcaster.

Naman Ramachandran Months after controversy erupted around a political tweet by star soccer player turned sports pundit Gary Lineker, the BBC has published revised social media guidelines for its presenters. Post that controversy, the BBC commissioned a review by former TV executive John Hardie, which looked at the corporation’s guidance covering “individual use of social media” in relation to those working as on-air freelancers outside of news, current affairs and factual journalism – in other words, someone like Lineker.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is preparing to set out new rules that will govern what its biggest stars can post on social media after a debacle over a Gary Lineker tweet earlier this year.

A gangland thug who plotted to murder rival yobs, including Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel, has been caught with an illicit mobile phone behind bars for a second time. John Hardie, 40, was jailed for 20 years for the plot, which saw a gang of six men carry out a string of savage attacks across Glasgow.

The BBC has launched its review into social media guidance in the wake of the Gary Lineker scandal, with former ITN CEO John Hardie set to oversee it.

Naman Ramachandran The BBC has appointed former CEO and editor-in-chief of ITN and executive VP at Walt Disney, John Hardie, to review how its social media guidance applies to freelancers. The review, which was announced by BBC director general Tim Davie earlier this month, will start immediately and will be completed by the summer and any changes to the BBC’s social media guidance will then be published. In early March, Lineker, commenting on the U.K. government’s controversial Illegal Migration Bill, tweeted, describing it as an “immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.” Lineker, a former star soccer player and presenter on the “Match of the Day” soccer show. was suspended by the BBC and then reinstated, raising questions about presenters’ acceptable use of social media.

One of Scotland’s most notorious gangsters was escorted from jail to give an “emotional” speech at his mum’s funeral.