"Sources said Talfan Davies and BBC CFO Bérangère Michel painted a bleak picture of the corporation’s finances. They said it was unsustainable that 94% of the UK population use the BBC every month, but fewer than 80% pay the £180 annual licence fee." “Our funding model has reached end of life.”

Absolutely brutal all-staff call currently taking place at the BBC. Up to 2,000 job cuts coming in Sept. BBC bosses painting bleak picture of finances. "Our funding model has reached end of life," interim DG Rhodri Talfan Davies said, per one insider. deadline.com/2026/04/bbc-...

Last of the sun disappearing, along with a bit of rainbow and I can hear my neighbour with his four year old singing along to John Lennon's opening of A Day In The Life. You could not pry me away from city life.

Journalists know that losing the Wayback Machine would be a nightmare: www.wired.com/story/the-in...

I know this is me still mourning a long dead world but it does feel remarkable that, not that long ago, British papers on the right would have run editorials and columns arguing that Hungary showed that only a solid, reliable centre-right party could defeat dangerous populists, but now? [crickets]

Okay then. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/b...

God this poem is haunting me again.

If you’re an American should watch the Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown ep on Iran. A deeply humanizing look at a country full of people just like you and me. I watched it after Anthony died and it moved in ways that are hard to relay. I also immediately ran out to try kabob koobideh and tahdig.

To save folks the time: Yes, it's a real post.

Couldn't finish reading this on the first try because it scared me into putting my phone down, immediately

New interviews and closely guarded documents, some of which have never been publicly disclosed, shed light on the persistent doubts about the OpenAI C.E.O. Sam Altman. Andrew Marantz and Ronan Farrow report. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/ejw-Ob

Easter with Morello cherry blossom

This is lovely. www.ft.com/content/8591...

Some aggressive savers, for instance, have chosen to cut costs by laying off their copy editors

Jay McInerney in Keith McNally's Balthazar reminiscing about Gordon Lish, Raymond Carver, cocaine (obvs) + his past romance with Marla Hanson. Oh and Graydon Carter is sponsoring his book launch. A glorious piece about the wealthy, greying, creative cohort of NYC. www.ft.com/content/ce0f...

Chucking out loud at R.F. Kuang's portrayal of publishing

I know it's not looking good for summer flights when Simon Calder shows up on the news on successive days.

Lol, what a grift. Gets paid for a dull-as-ditchwater comment piece, gets a byline, plugs his novel - which sounds unremarkable at best - in the headline and then plugs another project in the copy

if this is true, those editors should get a different job obviously understanding the pressure on productivity/output under capitalism but also. get a different job.

Good morning and Happy Nigella Day! Because all is briefly right with the world and as a special treat, it's free to read. www.ft.com/content/4819...

BFI Southbank asking me how satisfied I am with their website may be the only time I have relished giving feedback

I wrote on AI trashing literary life, and spoke to Alex Preston about the NYT book review scandal

Daniel Kehlmann and Marie NDiaye make it onto the International Booker shortlist www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/b...

This is a frank and beautiful piece from Lena Dunham about the gilded, bohemian world she was brought up in and how it helped her career. It's also about girlhood, because ofc it is. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Anecdotal but I always hear way more about Ben Lerner from American pals than I do British ones. Not sure why when his peers seem to have properly crossed over. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/b...

I’m reading War and Peace, and you know, probably a lot more people would read it if they knew just how extremely cunty the dialogue is

My one piece of advice for aspiring journalists is to be the person in the newsroom who understands gilt yields. Or any kind of markets news. You'll have an edge, to say the least.

Jia Tolentino profiled Robyn and it's exactly as good as you think it is www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

These guys want the status and gloss of old school legacy media without the principles or veneer of credibility that appeals to liberals. An unsurprising mess.

I love this prize. And they shortlisted Jane Rogoyska's Hotel Exile.

You could run a whole fiction workshop with enough Rightmove prompts

YOU GUYS I SNUCK A MIKHAIL BAKHTIN REFERENCE INTO AN INTERVIEW WITH THE @latimes.com about this (extraordinary) new novel and its (extraordinary) author!!!! My job here is done. 😎 Also it's a great profile.

The Sunaks are increasingly popping up across Indian media/podcasts but gosh, neither of them seem comfortable on camera. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C_z...

‘Le Carré, driven by personal demons kept writing into his late 80s; Frederick Forsyth maintained his lucrative franchise. Deighton simply walked away into hobbies: fountain pen engineering, unpublished histories of aero engines, flying planes & cooking and living well.’ ❤️ www.ft.com/content/32e4...

Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating! May you have many excellent leftovers to sail through the next few days.

What a pointless mess.

Good on Hachette for holding the line. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/b...

Very, very different gravy

I'm quite struck by how much he's fixated on the adhan and what it means. I reckon for many practicing British Muslims it's less a er, call for dominating territory, and more... "now I have to put my phone away for 10 mins cos prayers are starting"

Inevitably reminded of that utterly bizarre FT interview with Nick Clegg in the metaverse. www.ft.com/content/913c...

One of the best things about being an aunt is getting to buy Eid presents for kids. Look at these gorgeous illustrations in The Wind In The Willows!

I've heard from a couple of people that organising book launches can be hellish so it's a joy to read this, on community and making things happen, budget be damned. ella.substack.com/p/eat-this-f...

"[Farage] was paid £141 for another video in which he promoted an event by a Canadian neo-Nazi group." www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-i...

Would YOU like to win an arc of my new book DEAD WEIGHT? If yes, click this link to enter*: www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho... PS I would very much appreciate it if you shared this post for me friends 🙏 *US residents only

I understand why prestige publications ask their star writers to make short form videos. But man, some of the ones out there are rough.

I am sad that The Secret Agent didn't win anything last night. It's such a mercurial, clever film which doesn't talk down to its audience and takes some big swings

Vindication for the 13 yos in 2008 who desperately wanted her to win I'd Do Anything www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ma...

Always read Helen www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

I'm genuinely sad about this. BuzzFeed in its heyday had some great writing and a ton of strong reporting.

Poems for Lent (Day 21) • Mary Oliver •