Geoffrey Boycott slams BBC for ‘spoiling’ knighthood by mentioning domestic abuse charges
Geoffrey Boycott said he felt ‘sand bagged’ when an interview about his knighthood turned onto the topic of his domestic abuse conviction.
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Geoffrey Boycott accused the BBC of ‘spoiling’ an interview when they asked the former presenter about his domestic abuse conviction.
The 80-year-old sports star, who left the BBC in June, slammed the broadcasters for bringing up his domestic violence conviction during an interview that he thought was going to celebrate his recent knighthood.
The former Test Match Special commentator also accused the BBC of sacrificing ‘quality for equality’ after he was replaced by England women’s cricketer Isa Guha, Sir Alastair Cook and England cricketer James Anderson on the show.
Speaking to the Telegraph as he celebrated his 80th birthday, the former presenter didn’t hold back in his criticism of the BBC.
Referring to an interview that took place last September with Radio 4’s presenter Martha Kearney, Geoffrey said he felt “sand bagged” when the topic of domestic abuse was brought up.
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Boycott went on to imply that the BBC ‘ambush’ ruined what “should have been one of the nicest days of [his] life.”
“You expect better from the BBC, don’t you? But it’s not the BBC it used to be,” he said.
Boycott was convicted in 1998 of assaulting his then-girlfriend Margaret Moore and was handed a a three-month suspended jail sentence as well as a £5,300.
He has since gone on to receive a knighthood and despite a backlash to the accolade, admitted he “couldn’t give a toss” about the criticism.
Boycott even suggested that his experience of being convicted in France was one of the reasons he voted to leave the EU.
As for his retirement, that the BBC linked to his quadruple heart bypass, Geoffrey also accused the broadcasters of being ‘too politically correct’.
The outspoken presenter said: “They have sacrificed quality for equality. It is now all about political correctness, about gender and race. When you work for them you are wary and frightened of saying anything.”
“It is a minefield out there and that is sad.”
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