Panorama used to be a good watch. A proper documentary, covering interesting subjects and in the kind of post-watershed slot in which you’d expect to find a decent current affairs programme.
It’s a shame then that since the BBC moved it to the 8.30 slot, it’s become something akin to the ugly tabloid spawn of Tonight with Trevor McDonald and a real life, humourless version of Chris Morris’ current affairs satire Brass Eye.
The show has also reduced an otherwise gifted presenter, in Jeremy Vine, to a silly ranting walk-on part outside television centre, from which he struggles to find the right camera to introduce this week’s guest presenter from.
To be fair, last night’s reporter, Theo Paphitis, proved to be remarkably good at presenting the sorry tale of the plight of small businesses left high and dry by banks freezing lines of credit.
News of absurd interest rate hikes on company’s overdrafts and refused finance applications for profitable, growing businesses is nothing new, but Paphitis’ genuine ire at seeing entrepreneurs stifled in their efforts by a bungling and indifferent banking industry gave the programme an engaging edge.
Most pointedly, it was galling to see a profitable, sustainable £10m turnover company denied access to the EFG by almost every bank that it approached, despite meeting all of the criteria and being, in Paphitis’ eyes, a perfect candidate. Shame on the banks once again.
While Peter Mandelson was there to make his voice heard, as he usually is, whatever the subject, the episode did lack some difficult questioning of representatives of the banking industry. Still, it’s probably hard enough to get them to come out in public these days, much less face a grilling from a Dragon.
Elsewhere this week, Carphone Warehouse CEO Charles Dunstone has been appointed chairman of The Prince's Trust Enterprise Fellowship, a collective of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs formed to mentor and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The Fellowship is hoping to raise £10m to fund thousands of start-ups founded by disadvantaged young people, and Dunstone is calling on business owners to join the organisation and make contributions based on both experience and wealth.
“The opportunity to use my experience to try to encourage young people from the most difficult backgrounds is absolutely compelling,” Dunstone told me.
"I'm delighted to challenge like-minded entrepreneurs to share their experience and good fortune in the same way."
Fellows will also get the chance to share their expertise with young entrepreneurs on The Prince's Trust ‘Business Programme’ and get involved in promoting youth enterprise to peers, business colleagues, individuals and the government.
If you’re interested in joining the likes of Dunstone, James Caan, Lloyd Dorfman and CMC Markets founder Peter Cruddas in such a laudable enterprise, visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/fellowship.