BBC ‘sorry’ over Strictly and plan to get people into work
The apology from the BBC’s director general over complaints of abusive behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing makes the front of several papers, including the Metro. Tim Davie said sorry to the contestants who had made allegations but confirmed the show would return in the autumn for series 20.
The Daily Express describes Mr Davie’s apology as “heartfelt”. It says the BBC director general was “forced to intervene personally” over the scandal.
The Daily Mirror also leads with the apology to Strictly stars. But the paper reports that some professional dancers are “furious” and feel they have been “hung out to dry”.
The BBC is also the focus of the Daily Star’s front page but for a different reason, after the corporation published its list of best paid stars. Top of the list was football pundit Gary Lineker, whose salary works out as £3,698 a day, the Star highlights. “Nice work if you can get it, Gary,” the paper adds.
Comments from the new head of the British Army make the front of the i newspaper, after he gave his first major speech on Tuesday. Gen Sir Roly Walker said the UK must be ready to fight an international war within the next three years – and predicted Russia would seek revenge on the West.
The top story for the Times is on government health adviser Alan Milburn, who says people on long-term sick leave must be required to look for jobs to deal with the UK’s welfare burden. Mr Milburn – who used to be health secretary under Tony Blair – says the current system is “crazy” and needs reform. His comments come as a new report was released into the government’s plans to reduce the number of economically inactive people.
The Daily Telegraph’s top story also reports on the government’s plan for economic inactivity. But it focuses on GPs, who are voting on whether to hold a protest over pay which could see them cut the number of appointments they offer each day by up to a third.
The main photo on several front pages – including the Guardian – is of British dressage champion Charlotte Dujardin, who pulled out of the Paris Olympics after a video prompted concerns around horse welfare. But the Guardian’s main story continues with US politics for another day, as Kamala Harris appeared at her first campaign rally. She told the crowd in Wisconsin: “We will win this election.”
The Daily Mail focuses on radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, who was found guilty on Tuesday of directing a group banned under UK terror laws and encouraging support for it online. The paper has spoken to security experts who say Choudary was so dangerous he should never have been freed from prison after his previous jail term in 2016.
And the Financial Times’s top story is on a report from the National Audit Office. The watchdog says the government may need to deliberately put people off taking the train between Birmingham and Manchester because the decision to axe that part of HS2 will mean there will be fewer seats available. In another story, the FT reports there are still more than a quarter of a million tickets for resale for the Paris Olympics, which begins on Friday.
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