The Jeremy Vine show is a lovely way to start the day. Screened each weekday morning on Channel 5 between 9:15 and 11:15 it brings together a panel of three guests who discuss the day's news and engage in light banter with genial host Jeremy Vine and his delightful co-host, Storm Huntley.
It seldom fails to raise a few laughs and gives the viewer food for thought. Some of the panel members can be too opinionated, rude and aggressive (but enough about Yasmin Alibhai-Brown - she seems to be on every week!) Generally, the group gets on and it makes for excellent entertainment while you have breakfast and ease into the day.
On the downside, the music is too intrusive and the ad-breaks too many and too long! I always record the show and start watching half an hour into it to avoid the dire adverts which tell me how to plan my funeral, the plight of donkeys and how I can get an over 50s plan to help others after I die. One suspects the ad-men and women know their audience.
After watching the show for about a year I began to notice that very often the panel consisted of three women. Nothing wrong with that and why not. But I then found that they never had a line up of three men. I wrote to Channel 5 asking them if this was a policy of the show or the channel. I received a slightly curt response telling me, "We should point out that we have previously had all-male panels." Naturally I trawled back through all the shows since it started (which were recorded on my Sky Box and found out that there had NEVER been an all-male show.
Again, I asked why. No response. I phoned Channel 5 (I was too curious to let the matter drop) and was told my comments had been passed on to the producers for a reply. To cut a long story short I never did get a reply. The Customer Services rep I spoke to on several occasions was just the right side of dismissive.
The Jeremy Vine show remains great viewing with truly entertaining hosts and some marvellous guests. The only burning question is why can't men be trusted to appear in all three guest seats. We will never know but I suspect the producers feel a bit of positive discrimination is fine these days. After all it is Channel 5! Right on...
By the way, the audience is virtually the same every day. It has a sturdy company of die-hard "extras" who sit expressionless and don't dare look into the camera. I dare say they are not allowed to move or say anything unless prompted. Don't think Jeremy would like it if they did. And he can be short sometimes, especially with callers if they don't LOVE cyclists!! But that's another story!
One last comment. Every so often Anne Diamond fills in for Jeremy. When she does the show is sublime to watch. She is truly wonderful. She comes across as a lovely, warm, person. Harmony prevails as does good humour and genuine laughs. No angst, no ego. A class act...
Recommended. Enjoy...
Update 16 December 2020: I have just added a photo of Yasmin Alibhai-Brown aggressively making defamatory comments about Laurence Fox in October. I am delighted to report that she has not been on the show since!
