War of words between BBC reporter and panto star Cheggers

9:00am Saturday 7th July 2012 in News By Katie Bond

Keith Chegwin Keith Chegwin

A WAR of words has broken out between a local BBC reporter and panto star Keith Chegwin.

Earlier this week BBC Wiltshire reporter Marie Lennon made a jibe at the TV legend tweeting that “Keith Chegwin’s voice makes me feel physically sick.”

The post was then hastily deleted but not before Cheggers had seen it and had a chance to have his say.

Responding to the message, Cheggers retorted: “@BBCWiltshire Top presenter @marie_lennon using BBC’s name, is slagging me off. How BBC Radio has changed. Sad.”

He later added: “@marie_lennon the @BBCWiltshire presenter has deleted rude Tweet about me. Still using BBC’s name 2 get followers.”

A spokesperson for the BBC last night said: “This was her personal view for which she has now apologised.

“It doesn’t reflect the views of the station. BBC Wiltshire is looking forward to Keith Chegwin appearing in pantomime at the Wyvern Theatre this Christmas.”

Mr Chegwin, who became a household name in the 70s with kids’ quiz Cheggers Plays Pop, will be juggling a role as Wishee Washee in this year’s production of Aladdin with a spot on Dancing On Ice.

He was due to be in this year’s contingent of the popular ITV1 show but broke several ribs during a practice run.

Since Twitter-gate, staff at the Wyvern have spoken in support of the star who was a huge hit when he played Buttons in Cinderella.

Marketing manager Richard Loftus said: “At the Wyvern we’re all huge fans of Keith Chegwin’s voice. And that’s why he is returning to our theatre for another year of pantomime this Christmas.”

Aladdin will run at the Wyvern Theatre from December 8 to January 6.

To book tickets visit www.wyverntheatre.org.uk or call the Ticket Office on 01793 524481.

Comments(20)

Eastcott says...
9:45am Sat 7 Jul 12

One wonders at the type of people that once great organisation employs these days. The type of person who not only think it's acceptable to post such nasty comments on a public forum for all the world to see, and someone who is happy to potentially jeopardise their career in doing so. I suppose the moral here is "think before you tweet".

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Synergie says...
10:00am Sat 7 Jul 12

As Mr Cameron would say..." too many tweets could make a tw@t!"

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captaineasychord says...
10:08am Sat 7 Jul 12

Why is this on the front page of the website? Surely there's some actual news to report? I guess that Keith Chegwin doing panto is such a big event in Swindon that the local paper need to find excuses to put his face in the paper all year. And the headline's rather dramatic - one misjudged attempt at humour (quickly deleted and apologised for) followed by Chegwin squeezing every ounce of publicity out of it is hardly a "war of words", is it?

I'm amazed that the man who did the balloon dance on national TV takes his image so seriously!

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bobthemonkey says...
10:40am Sat 7 Jul 12

I must disagree with Marie Lennon. Keith Chegwin's face makes me feel physically sick, his voice only makes me mildly nauseous.

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MagnusCowell says...
12:55pm Sat 7 Jul 12

"A war of words?" Hardly. And to suggest that Ms Lennon is using the BBC "to get more followers" is a bit rich from a man who has demonstrated publicly on more than one occasion that he will do pretty well anything to shore up his minor celebrity. Also, has the Adver now given up reporting local news in favour of grasping at whatever flimsy excuse they can to get their hands on a bit of pointless tittle-tattle?

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Oik1 says...
1:47pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Take her away and burn her, burn the witch!

Oh sorry, wrong panto.

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Morsey says...
1:50pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Keith seems a nice bloke, but he has to realise that some Northern accents do indeed grate a bit on we Southerners. He doesn't bother me, but when he is interviewed he has a laugh in his voice like Tony Blackburn on the old music chart show ... no-one can be that happy ... the Tories and LDs are in power ... we are all doomed!?

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langdon alder says...
4:02pm Sat 7 Jul 12

So i see Keith has decided to put a distasteful joke about chernobyl on his twitter this morning.
Will the Adver be reporting this with the headline "Panto star chernobyl sick joke"?
Doubt it. Foreshame Local rag, Foreshame on this non story

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Mystery Mike says...
4:18pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Synergie wrote:
As Mr Cameron would say..." too many tweets could make a tw@t!"
Cameron also thought 'lol' meant lots of love, so I'll trust his opinion on modern social trends about as far as I'd trust him with his own daughter in a pub.

I think Marie may have made a mistake in this case, but she's doing much more worthwhile work for local music and entertainment than Keith Chegwin is doing panto.

Also she clearly states on her twitter account that her views are her own.

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PJC says...
9:11am Sun 8 Jul 12

If, as she says her views are her own, it's a bit reckless to use her work account and not a private one.

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Shhh says...
9:30am Sun 8 Jul 12

This could get out of hand, reminds me of the east coast/west coast beef of the early 90's. We all know what happened to Tupac and Biggie

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michael radford says...
11:03am Sun 8 Jul 12

PJC wrote:
If, as she says her views are her own, it's a bit reckless to use her work account and not a private one.
Looks like it was a personal account - not an offical BBC one.
Can't believe how strongly the adver are fighting this guy's corner - he's not exactly a saint?
If Chernobyl tweet is true - that seems a more shocking story, especially as the advertiser office is just next door to the Chernobyl children's charity shop!

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bobthemonkey says...
12:05pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Yes Michael, the Chernobyl tweet was true, along with a questionable joke about child abuse, you can see them both here:
http://www.imagebam.
com/image/d17edc2005
92153



I don't particularly have a problem with the jokes (apart from them not being funny) but you know what they say about those in glass houses....

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PJC says...
6:12pm Sun 8 Jul 12

michael radford wrote:
PJC wrote:
If, as she says her views are her own, it's a bit reckless to use her work account and not a private one.
Looks like it was a personal account - not an offical BBC one.
Can't believe how strongly the adver are fighting this guy's corner - he's not exactly a saint?
If Chernobyl tweet is true - that seems a more shocking story, especially as the advertiser office is just next door to the Chernobyl children's charity shop!
Sorry if it was then, the article made it sound like it was her work account. Yes I agree Chegwin's tweets are true, he should be ashamed.

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PJC says...
6:14pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Sorry, missed an 'if' there.....

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Alan B'stard says...
1:10pm Mon 9 Jul 12

He's a fat git.

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daws says...
3:54pm Mon 9 Jul 12

fair play to Cheggars, is this the show where he gets his **** out?

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GalaxyMan says...
7:56pm Mon 9 Jul 12

I remember hearing they were considering doing a follow up show to Cheggars Play Pop. It was going to be filmed inside a decompression chamber and called Cheggars Goes Pop!
The man is a legend. In his own small way.
His own very, very small way!
And surely he made his name on Swap Shop not Plays Pop? Perhaps the Adver needs a few reporters aged over 30!

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MagnusCowell says...
10:00am Wed 11 Jul 12

Chegwin on Twitter: "I just watched Chernobyl's got talent - I give it 3 thumbs up." Mocking the death and suffering of thousands (mainly children) warrants NIL column inches in the Adver. Potentially sabotaging the career of a bright young woman who has done more for the cultural life of Swindon than Cheggers ever will has now gone national thanks to your pathetic coverae of this non story. Are you going to arrange the next fundraising gig for the Swindon Women's Refuge? No, I thought you wouldn't. Shame on you Swindon Advertiser, you do more harm to this town than you know.

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lighterthief says...
6:05pm Wed 11 Jul 12

disgraceful report... Marie has done wonders with supporting local music. The Adver should spend more time focussing on positives than creating a news story out of a one-line joke.... ridiculous....

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