Nicky Campbell (Radio 5) > Reviews (4)

Are you called Tarquin? Betsy? Leo? or maybe Beth? You are?? Then you have found your ideal radio programme.

Nicky'Are you a Leo?' Campbell's 9.00 am to Midday phone-in show on BBC Radio Five-Live is another one of those yoghurt-knitter focused right-on radio programmes that have sprung up like a septic boil, to drive anyone mildly right of centre to distraction.

For the first hour or so, the programme focus's on the news story of the day, or at least what the editor thinks it should be. Campbell usually has a couple of left-wing journos in the studio with him, who tend to write for 'The Graunaid' or 'The Sindy'. It is not uncommon for the same old debates to be repeated time and time again; you know the drill,'Should we smack our kids,''Why are we horrid to asylum seekers', 'Should we pick up our dog poo' etc etc...

Any disenters from the moral message, are quickly given short shrift, and anyone mildly right-wing dismissed as a witch-burning psychopath! From about 10.30 am onwards, we have 'Euronews' where Campbell and aide, usually take the mickey out of foreign guests accents, and for the final hour of the prog, Campbell wheels out his Britpack. The only problem with 'The Britpack,' is none of them are actually English, the group usually consists of two Scots, a Welshman and an Irish Republican. They drone on until the show ends, in an elitist and arrogant manner, so typical of the pseudo-intellectuals they are undoubtedly are.

I can't stand The Nicky Campbell show, but tend to listen regardless as the alternatives are so abysmal, and Five Live does have excellent news and sports coverage.

As for Mr Campbell, perhaps he will do us all a favour, and go back to The Wheel of Fortune.