Pageant coverage to make hearts sink

The pageant on the Thames was a Canaletto moment and a triumph despite the weather but it demonstrated the increasing inability of the BBC to handle such an event.

Television was still in its infancy at the time of the Coronation, but meticulous research by its head of outside broadcasts, Peter Dimmock, created ground-breaking coverage. That 1953 commentary team was led by the incomparable Richard Dimbleby and included such luminaries as John Snagge, Raymond Baxter, John Arlott and Scotland’s Tom Fleming.

For the Diamond Jubilee, the BBC clearly trawled its studios to produce an extraordinary collection of buffoons and babblers to share their inanities with the nation. I doubt Dimbleby would have failed to observe that the republican protesters had chosen to gather exactly opposite the entrance to Traitors’ Gate in the Tower of London.

Dr John Cameron

Howard Place St Andrews

One of your correspondents (Letters, 5 June) severely criticises the BBC for its shoddy presentation of yesterday’s events and there is much truth in what he says.

But that was by no means all there was to criticise. It was not the BBC’s fault that the greatly publicised concert was quite dreadfuI. I have no idea who finally selected the participants, but each should have been vetted much more thoroughly, because so many of those from “a bygone age” were, frankly, no longer good.

Most of the “comedians” who acted as compères were tedious and halting, while Cliff Richard, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones and Stevie Wonder and others were well past it and were more embarrassing than entertaining – certainly not good enough to be presented to the Queen on a very special occasion.

My heart broke as I saw flashes of her trying to look pleased, at a time when she must have been worried sick about her ailing husband. Rather than a pleasure, the entire event must have been a torture for her but, yet again, she played her part splendidly.

The evergreen Shirley Bassey was tops, but she was one of the few oldies who actually entertained.

It is claimed Gary Barlow spent almost two years preparing the event: it doesn’t say much for his skills as an impresario.

I sincerely hope the Duke of Edinburgh will soon be well again. It was perhaps better that he missed this travesty of a top-class show as he would not have enjoyed it!

J Hall

Colinton Grove

Edinburgh

There was a time when the splendour and pomp of royal occasions could only be covered by one television company, the envy of all world-wide. That was the BBC.

So what has happened to that once great British Broadcasting Corporation, paid for by the taxpayers? Its Diamond Jubilee Pageant coverage was shocking. Someone needs to go through the organisation with a stiff broom and sweep it out from top to bottom, including the presenters who believe the productions are more about themselves than the subject.

And, also the presenters who got their facts wrong should be banned from the screen, along with the directors and producers who approved the scripts and camera work, including the split screen technology.

Watching two channels at the same time: Sky got it right from anchors aweigh. The BBC floundered all the way.

Terry Duncan

Bridlington

East Yorkshire