I recently wrote about the relatively new phenomenon of cancel culture but on the flip side of that is the concept of self-sabotage. This is when someone in the public eye engages in inappropriate behaviour or has done in the past but has the arrogance and audacity to think that their misdemeanours, which are typically of a sexual nature, will never see the light of day.
Last week we witnessed the swift and ruthless sacking of BBC TV presenter and pundit Jermaine Jenas, who had been sending inappropriate texts to junior female colleagues. I say ‘ruthless’ because, as unsavoury as Jenas’s actions are, his treatment by the BBC serves as a stark contrast to the dithering that went on during the handling of the Huw Edwards scandal, whose transgressions were of a much more serious and criminal nature.
Edwards, a veteran BBC news anchor, was convicted of three charges of making indecent images of children months after he was suspended. This was steady and solid old Huw, stalwart of the BBC, who had been entrusted with the coverage of some of the most important and significant events in recent history, which in the case of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral attracted a global audience of over 4 billion.
He was also accused of sending inappropriate texts to colleagues but, as with Jenas, given the revered status of these stars, other employees were reluctant to come forward. It is hard to fathom how this ‘three wise monkey’ mentality still exists, particularly as it was this mindset which allowed the likes of Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris to continue their nefarious actions unchecked, despite rumours and accusations swirling around them for years.
Like Jenas, Edwards was considered by the BBC to be a safe pair of hands so their fall from grace clearly reflects catastrophically on the BBC’s reputation. The BBC, the world’s oldest national broadcaster, continues to be ripped apart from the inside by the very people it employs to foster trust and rapport amongst its viewers. My GCSE French teacher used to say once is an accident, twice is a coincidence but three times is a pattern and with the Strictly scandal currently looming over the Beeb it’s starting to look like it could be the latter.
There are, of course, other high-profile celebrities who have been hit by scandal; comedian/actor Russell Brand, another one-time BBC star who also found fame on Channel 4, is one such example. Following allegations of sexual assault, Brand has apparently reinvented himself as a born-again Christian and believes his recent baptism is “an opportunity to leave the past behind and be reborn in Christ’s name” so that he can live as “an enlightened and awakened person”. Forgive me for being a little sceptical but for me the standout phrase here is “leave the past behind”…
It’s difficult to understand what drives people who seem to ‘have it all’ to risk such a public and humiliating fall from grace. Is it purely arrogance? Do these people possess such a degree of self-importance and such an unwavering self-belief that they feel invincible?
Edwards’s involvement was uncovered because of an investigation into the convicted paedophile who supplied him with the inappropriate material. As a senior news broadcaster surely he was more aware than most of the risks involved in possessing such offensive content? It really does beggar belief.
On further consideration, it seems that perhaps the attributes required by those who succeed in fields such as television, pop music and politics are the very same attributes which can often lead to their undoing – arrogance, superiority, pride, confidence and a complete lack of self-awareness.
I wonder who will be next to join the self-sabotaging roll of infamy? Sadly (particularly for the victims) there doesn’t seem to be any sign of it abating…
