BBC centenary celebrated by British embassy in Dublin

Irish presenters, actors, producers and executives are attending a party at the British ambassador’s residence in Dublin on Thursday evening to mark 100 years of the BBC and celebrate partnerships between the British and Irish broadcasting industry.

The contributions of Irish talent to the BBC will be recognised at the event, where guests will be served canapés inspired by BBC radio and television programmes including Fawlty Towers and Strictly Come Dancing.

Former BBC chief news correspondent Kate Adie, who has connections to Ireland, and Normal People producer Catherine Magee are among the speakers, while BBC archive footage and music from the broadcaster’s founding decade will be played.

Invitees include RTÉ director general Dee Forbes, BBC Northern Ireland head of content commissioning Eddie Doyle, BBC Scotland director Steve Carson, BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell, Screen Ireland chief executive Désirée Finnegan, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland chief executive Celene Craig and the BBC’s Dublin correspondent, Shane Harrison.

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Presenters Ryan Tubridy and Angela Scanlon, musician and actor Camille O’Sullivan, actors Aidan Gillen and Ardal O’Hanlon, comedian Oliver Callan, sports presenter/commentator Marty Morrissey and actors Alex Murphy and Jennifer Barry − who starred in the BBC-RTÉ comedy co-production The Young Offenders, set in Cork − are also on the guestlist.

‘Educate and entertain’

“The BBC’s independence and objectivity and its global reach have never been more important. Its other missions − to educate and entertain − remain vital too,” said Paul Johnston, the British ambassador to Ireland.

The ambassador highlighted Irish talent on the BBC from Eamonn Andrews and Terry Wogan to Graham Norton. One of the BBC’s key radio buildings in London, Western House, was renamed Wogan House in 2016 in honour of the late Terry Wogan.

“Like many Britons, I learned a lot about higher education in Dublin by binge-watching Normal People,” Mr Johnston added.

Ms Magee, who produced the hit Element Pictures drama Normal People for the BBC and Hulu, said the original commission from the BBC arose out of a strong relationship between Dublin-based Element and the corporation, which greenlit the series as soon as Irish director Lenny Abrahamson came on board.

“I think what is great about the BBC is that they have great confidence and trust in filmmakers. They always just came from a point of view of respect and collaboration.”

Ms Magee said it was worrying to see the BBC come under political pressure in the UK, potentially suppressing the ability of the public service broadcaster to fund programmes.

Erosion by Conservatives

“I have a real fear that the Conservatives will erode the BBC and I think it will be desperately missed if they do, both in the UK and here.”

The event at Glencairn House, the official residence of the ambassador, was organised by the British embassy in partnership with the British Council and Irish producer Steve McCormack of Straywave Media.

The BBC was first founded by a group of radio manufacturers on October 18th, 1922, as the British Broadcasting Company, and began daily broadcasts in November of that year. It became the British Broadcasting Corporation five years later. A fledgling television service began in 1936 and was suspended during the second World War before restarting in 1946.

Ms Forbes congratulated the BBC on reaching its centenary and “for continuing to maintain such an important and positive influence” at a time when public service media faces many challenges.

“The BBC has for so long been the gold standard and the ultimate destination for so much talent − both in front of and behind the camera − who have left these shores to fulfil their dreams and make a name for themselves on the bigger stage offered by the BBC, and we have watched them thrive,” the RTÉ director-general said.

“Indeed, RTÉ has also welcomed former BBC talent to our ranks in recent years − a welcome development which I hope demonstrates how far we ourselves have come.”