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5 unusual facts about Tahu Hole


Gerald Priestland

In 1954, he became the youngest person (at 26 years) to work as a BBC foreign correspondent, having been sent by the controversial Editor of News, Tahu Hole, to the BBC's office in New Delhi.

Priestland published his autobiography, Something Understood, in 1986, a work which he hastily altered before publication to express his true feelings about Tahu Hole, who had recently died: "He was a monster in every sense."

Tahu Hole

At this point, Hole appeared to be seeking a job with the BBC's newly formed competitor, the Independent Television Authority.

(The document was part of the evidence that the BBC were to submit to the Pilkington Committee on Broadcasting, concerning newspaper shareholdings in Independent Television companies.)

Up to that point, live news broadcasts had been in audio with the announcer/newsreader speaking over a still picture of Big Ben.



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