BBC Newsnight

Yes but in their defence, Yalda was continuously interrupting Natalie Bennett which made it very difficult for her to answer any of Yalda's questions. I wish she just let Bennett actually answer the questions. I might not like the Green Party but I did feel that Yalda's constant interruption did diminish the quality of the interview.

I did find her appearance on the programme to be rather strange. She isn't that well known by British viewers. She has done the odd report for Newsnight but apart from that she is relatively unknown.

Good to hear that Eddie Mair will be on next week. I think the he would be the best person to succeed Paxman.

British jobs for British eh Nigel.

I find this post rather strange.

Just because she is unknown to a domestic audience does not mean she could not be a suitable candidate. Frankly, what difference does that make.

If, based on her extensive work on BBC World News, BBC management think her worthy of a trial on Newsnight, then why not?

I was merely trying to say that Newsnight is a flagship news programme and I would expect to see someone who is more well on it. It is obvious that Yalda will not succeed Paxman on Newsnight as she has just become the presenter on Impact. It would have been much better if Kirsty, Laura, Emily, Eddie or even Victoria presented on Friday. Surely one of them was available?

I think that Newsnight is too important a programme for someone to have a "trial" on. Nevertheless, the did fairly well on it and she did look comfortable presenting the show. Probably because she presented an interview based show in Australia.

Everyone has to have a first trial time on a programme. Where would you like Yalda to gain this UK experience from - newsnight viewers will have seen her reporting, and there's not really a 'little newsnight' for her to start on domestically. I haven't yet watched the programme, but have been impressed with Yalda's reporting and appearances on World.

Paxo going out in style ... promo clip for Tues 20th May interview with Berlusconi.

Incredible! I'm really going to miss Paxman.

I wouldn't call that going out in style - quite the opposite, in fact.

The first question - whether Berlusconi has "a problem" with Merkel is interesting. I assume the answer to that will be shown in the actual broadcast, but wasn't considered interesting enough to bother trailing.

As for the second question... Why on Earth Berlusconi's specific comments, flattering or otherwise, about Merkel's physical appearance are relevant to anyone other than the two people concerned is beyond me. It appears to be a question designed to embarrass both him and her in a quasi-schoolboy fashion, rather than to shed any light on anything at all.

To my mind, that clip's a microcosm of everything that's wrong with the current incarnation of Newsnight.

In terms of the Merkel comment: Berlusconi is a public figure and has met Merkel before, thus his comments about her are inappropriate and out of line. If anything, it is not really embarrassing as much to Merkel but more towards Berlusconi for making such comments.

Crossover on Friday ..... Andrew Neil to present.

That'll be good - has he ever presented before?

Yes he has. In around 2002.
EDIT: Found an article about it http://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/aug/07/broadcasting.bbc

Newsnight Website says Eddie Mair this Friday and Kirsty Wark the next though?