Karen Shipway
@karenshipway.bsky.social
Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati, tea drinker, reader, ex-floozie.
This, from a friend % colleague, is spot on. Am absolutely shocked & appalled by the ignorance shown by colleagues who work in other genres of TV, or who don't understand compliance.
As to what happened with that edit. I'm pretty sure its a cockup rather than conspiracy.
As to what happened with that edit. I'm pretty sure its a cockup rather than conspiracy.
No more assuming factual TV is easy and “just happens.” Behind every hour are layers of financing gymnastics, spreadsheets that defy physics, contracts and rights-clearances and enough negotiation to make lawyering qualify as an extreme sport. All before we’ve even picked up a camera.
November 15, 2025 at 11:11 AM
This, from a friend % colleague, is spot on. Am absolutely shocked & appalled by the ignorance shown by colleagues who work in other genres of TV, or who don't understand compliance.
As to what happened with that edit. I'm pretty sure its a cockup rather than conspiracy.
As to what happened with that edit. I'm pretty sure its a cockup rather than conspiracy.
Having a stressful Friday, then this post is the balm you need.
Also, if you've never read any of Tom's books, especially his fiction, why not?
Also, if you've never read any of Tom's books, especially his fiction, why not?
THREAD. In her exclusive interview in today's Daily Telegraph Magazine, the actor, influencer and designer Philippa Islington-Smythe (pictured) discusses the price of fame, her controversial new perfume, working with Margot Robbie and how becoming a parent changed her perspective on the world...
November 14, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Having a stressful Friday, then this post is the balm you need.
Also, if you've never read any of Tom's books, especially his fiction, why not?
Also, if you've never read any of Tom's books, especially his fiction, why not?
Reposted by Karen Shipway
🧵On our revelations today about the BBC Coup and the Prescott Dossier.
The leaked ‘BBC Bias’ memo Trump used to attack the BBC was authored by Michael Prescott — a Hanover lobbyist paid by US tech/media giants tied to Trump. Full story: bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b... 1/12
The leaked ‘BBC Bias’ memo Trump used to attack the BBC was authored by Michael Prescott — a Hanover lobbyist paid by US tech/media giants tied to Trump. Full story: bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b... 1/12
'BBC Bias' Memo Was Authored by Lobbyist Tied to Pro-Trump Tech Giants
The leaked memo that fuelled Trump’s attack on the BBC was written by a lobbyist at a firm paid by US tech giants tied to the President
bylinetimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:19 PM
🧵On our revelations today about the BBC Coup and the Prescott Dossier.
The leaked ‘BBC Bias’ memo Trump used to attack the BBC was authored by Michael Prescott — a Hanover lobbyist paid by US tech/media giants tied to Trump. Full story: bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b... 1/12
The leaked ‘BBC Bias’ memo Trump used to attack the BBC was authored by Michael Prescott — a Hanover lobbyist paid by US tech/media giants tied to Trump. Full story: bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b... 1/12
Reposted by Karen Shipway
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
Reposted by Karen Shipway
NEW
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
emptycity.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
NEW
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
This, but also adding that, incomprehensively to me, still in post is David Jordan, who's been the BBC's Director, of Editorial Policy & Standards since 2007, & surely should have been a ceremonial sacrifical lamb several 'scandals' ago. Should Davie & Turness have resigned over this, no.
Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …
November 10, 2025 at 9:36 AM
This, but also adding that, incomprehensively to me, still in post is David Jordan, who's been the BBC's Director, of Editorial Policy & Standards since 2007, & surely should have been a ceremonial sacrifical lamb several 'scandals' ago. Should Davie & Turness have resigned over this, no.
I worked on the C4 programme about Richard III's burial. While I always knew some parts of academia are really toxic I was shocked & distressed by just how awful some of the University officials were to Philippa & also, to a lesser extent, Dr John Ashdown-Hill.
www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
I won’t apologise for The Lost King – Leicester University’s treatment of Philippa Langley is a profound injustice | Steve Coogan
I was sued over my film that gave a voice to the committed ‘amateur’ whose pivotal role in the search for the remains of Richard III was drowned out by louder voices in academia
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:32 AM
I worked on the C4 programme about Richard III's burial. While I always knew some parts of academia are really toxic I was shocked & distressed by just how awful some of the University officials were to Philippa & also, to a lesser extent, Dr John Ashdown-Hill.
www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
Someone was clearly very busy last night.
October 24, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Someone was clearly very busy last night.
So why aren't Richmond fining Thames Water millions for the literal crap it is polluting our waterways with?*
* This is rhetorical as I do know the answer....
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
* This is rhetorical as I do know the answer....
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kew woman fined £150 for pouring coffee down drain in Richmond
Burcu Yesilyurt says the fine is
www.bbc.co.uk
October 22, 2025 at 9:06 AM
So why aren't Richmond fining Thames Water millions for the literal crap it is polluting our waterways with?*
* This is rhetorical as I do know the answer....
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
* This is rhetorical as I do know the answer....
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Karen Shipway
DAILY STAR: Bozo the killer clown #TomorrowsPapersToday
October 21, 2025 at 9:12 PM
DAILY STAR: Bozo the killer clown #TomorrowsPapersToday
Reposted by Karen Shipway
Halloween party tonight, here’s my costume as a ChatGPT output
October 18, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Halloween party tonight, here’s my costume as a ChatGPT output
Reposted by Karen Shipway
Police are hoping to talk to a bright pink gentleman with whiskers and a tail, driving a ludicrous sports car
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6...
Hunt continues for thieves after priceless jewels stolen in heist at Louvre museum in Paris - live updates
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati says the incident happened as the museum opened this morning.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Police are hoping to talk to a bright pink gentleman with whiskers and a tail, driving a ludicrous sports car
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6...
If anyone wants/needs to read a story with a happy ending today, read this.
Okay. So. Amazing scenes playing out at the vets when i arrived to pick up Napoleon.
Names changed/removed. But get ready for a lost kitty story with a happy ending.
It starts late last year, when the elderly neighbour of a young couple went into a care home /1
Names changed/removed. But get ready for a lost kitty story with a happy ending.
It starts late last year, when the elderly neighbour of a young couple went into a care home /1
October 16, 2025 at 4:47 PM
If anyone wants/needs to read a story with a happy ending today, read this.
Reposted by Karen Shipway
Reposted by Karen Shipway
I write full time largely because of one thread about getting high with the Irish president. As cringe as it is to admit, my entire life has been massively enhanced by Twitter and ketamine over precisely the same time that those two things have proven less beneficial for Elon Musk.
Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?
October 8, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I write full time largely because of one thread about getting high with the Irish president. As cringe as it is to admit, my entire life has been massively enhanced by Twitter and ketamine over precisely the same time that those two things have proven less beneficial for Elon Musk.
Reposted by Karen Shipway
RIP JILLY COOPER! A queen who wrote THE most readable books in existence. People saw my thread of epic Jilly quotes and decided I was saying the books are shite. You COULDN'T be more wrong. Go and watch Rivals today.
🧵Some real Jilly Cooper quotes from her Rutshire Chronicles, the series of books that Rivals is from.
1) "Her breasts swayed like party balloons when the front door opens"
1) "Her breasts swayed like party balloons when the front door opens"
October 6, 2025 at 10:07 AM
RIP JILLY COOPER! A queen who wrote THE most readable books in existence. People saw my thread of epic Jilly quotes and decided I was saying the books are shite. You COULDN'T be more wrong. Go and watch Rivals today.
Reposted by Karen Shipway
It's hard to know how best to mark the death of Jilly Cooper - there is no Concorde to bonk on and I don't have a horse to go and pour out my feelings to in the stables while being groped by an aristo. Perhaps just a glass of fizz and a bracing walk with an unusually sensitive dog.
October 6, 2025 at 9:47 AM
It's hard to know how best to mark the death of Jilly Cooper - there is no Concorde to bonk on and I don't have a horse to go and pour out my feelings to in the stables while being groped by an aristo. Perhaps just a glass of fizz and a bracing walk with an unusually sensitive dog.
As I try to get undressed and into bed without stepping on or falling over Lyly I'm absolutely certain that the cause of death on my death certificate will simply say 'cat'.
October 5, 2025 at 10:59 PM
As I try to get undressed and into bed without stepping on or falling over Lyly I'm absolutely certain that the cause of death on my death certificate will simply say 'cat'.
Reposted by Karen Shipway
Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
October 5, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
Reposted by Karen Shipway
British politics is basically a doom spiral of increasingly unhinged hostile policies.
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
October 5, 2025 at 8:08 AM
British politics is basically a doom spiral of increasingly unhinged hostile policies.
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
Every time I think things can't become any more insane....
Tommy Robinson invited to Israel by Amichai Chikli the Minister of Diaspora Affairs.
October 3, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Every time I think things can't become any more insane....
Reposted by Karen Shipway
Inevitable I suppose that the headlines reporting the sad news of Patricia Routledge's death describe her as "Keeping Up Appearances star". For me she will always be Kitty from Victoria Wood On TV, and Mrs Schofield in Alan Bennett's precursor to Talking Heads, A Woman Of No Importance. A sad loss.
October 3, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Inevitable I suppose that the headlines reporting the sad news of Patricia Routledge's death describe her as "Keeping Up Appearances star". For me she will always be Kitty from Victoria Wood On TV, and Mrs Schofield in Alan Bennett's precursor to Talking Heads, A Woman Of No Importance. A sad loss.