Time to change the guard at Today?

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's Today programme don’t seem particular loyal to the show’s grand inquisitor John Humphrys. Today's website, which senior executives are said to take very seriously, has been inundated with flattering praise for new boy Nick Robinson (pictured), who is on secondment from his job as political editor at BBC news, with some suggesting that the 64-year-old Welshman should now be ousted to make way for a new generation.

One says that Robinson and co-presenter Evan Davis could easily give Humphrys, and indeed James Naughtie, 57, a run for their money. "Isn’t it about time this pair was pensioned off from the Today programme? Their interviews (whilst poles apart) are outdated. Robinson and Davies are really showing them up at the moment. Perhaps the BBC should do a ‘Vorderman’ on them when their contracts come up for renewal." This refers to Carole Vorderman’s recent claim that she was asked to take a 90 per cent pay cut at C4’s Countdown, which led to her sudden resignation. ·