Strangely, some members here make out as though BBC News is their afternoon entertainment with a cuppa and some biscuits and expect the presenters to be cracking jokes every five minutes. I really don't mind a little banter in the appropriate places but that example was letting it get out of hand.
As it was me who brought it up, and given that I'm one of the few who said I enjoyed watching it, I'll take it as read that you're referring to me.
Well I have to tell you now, you're absolutely wrong in your assumption.
I watch/listen to the news for the content. I'm under no illusions about what its supposed to be, and I haven't got it confused with GOLD or another channel.
For a combined total of about 2 minutes in a several hour block there was some moments of laughter, banter and confusion about what item was coming next.
Had anyone here with the pursed-lips and po-faces actually seen the afternoon of television, you would have seen that the context was - specifically - that they were awaiting someone to stand up and ask a question in the commons, and had three items to juggle - weather, the top of the half hour, and Hilary Clinton doing a press conference.
None of the items were moving as anticipated, and rather than shuffle papers they chatted on air.
But you didn't see it. You saw the clip where they laughed, and not the generally stellar block of programming.
And FYI, there was no cuppa or biscuit involved, I'll have you know - just me doing plenty of work with the news on in the background. Perhaps I give the air of someone who swans around in a silk robe cramming my mouth with baked goods all day, but the reality is quite different. Sorry to disappoint.
Anyway - I'm all done discussing this now. It was momentarily, fleetingly amusing, and now I'm surrounded by Margo Leadbetters telling me to buck my ideas up, and I wish I hadn't mentioned it.
So, with yuletide felicitations in mind, you can cram it with festive walnuts.
