Danny Baker
Danny Baker’s award winning Radio London show has been axed by the BBC and is due to end later this year.
Baker, from Blackheath, said on air this afternoon: “Community, London … you wouldn’t understand the meaning of the word.”
Baker took to twitter to vent his frustration about the cancellation of his show the Treehouse.
He tweeted: “So. Just been told the BBC London Show – the Treehouse – is to be shut down after all. Saves BBC money apparently.”
The BBC has announced a recent 16% budget cut to local radio.
During his radio show, Baker, who sounded extremely upset, repeated several times: “This show has been cancelled”.
Baker then went on to discuss his wage from the BBC. “We get paid 50 pounds for this show. Jimmy Saville got paid more in a month than I did in 6”.
Saville has been in the forefront of the public eye recently over the sex abuse scandals and so have the BBC for the way they handled Saville’s case.
Baker went on to say “he once carried the radio station on his back”, referring to the financial trouble the BBC went through before. He continued: “Nice way to treat a guy that once had cancer.”
Baker called the BBC “weasels” in their handling of his sacking and spoke about how ironic it is that he is to be inducted into the BBC radio Hall of fame in the same week his show is getting cancelled.
On air, Baker told his management “Dont bother coming” and said that his speech for the award will be something to look forward to.
A BBC spokesman said: “Danny Baker will be leaving his afternoon show on BBC London 94.9 at the end of the year.
“Danny’s still very much part of the BBC with his Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 5 Live and we’re currently in discussions with him about options for a weekly programme.”
However Baker stated on Twitter that no such offer has been made to him.
Baker thanked his fans for the support over the years and the many people who left him either a Tweet or a Facebook message. He then said: “you’ll be sorry when LBC offer me a job.”
by Sherelle Thomas
