You are an inspiration Lucie
Telling the story of what happened in my last years at the BBC has meant being honest about something I have found even harder to talk about.
After I raised a grievance about antisemitism, I was gradually isolated and denied more and more of the job I loved so much. The loneliness of that took a serious toll on my mental health. I became ill with anorexia, a recurrence of an illness I had when I was younger, but this time it came back with a vengeance. Each time I thought I was taking a step or two forward, something would happen at work that knocked me back.
I was ashamed, and at times I am not sure I was believed. I kept trying to explain that I was struggling. More than once I was told I wasn’t the only one. I felt like colleagues thought I was making it up.
Since February last year I have been admitted to hospital four times. The most recent admission, and I hope the last, was for three months over the summer. The NHS staff on that ward saved me.
I’m sharing this because if I was going to tell my story honestly, I had to tell all of it. Shame keeps people silent. Anorexia is an illness, not a choice and not a weakness, and no one who is this unwell should have to prove it.
Swipe for some of what I was told along the way.
@HadleyFreeman has also struggled with anorexia, and in her brilliant piece in The Sunday Times she writes about our shared experience. Thank you, Hadley.
If you are struggling, or worried about someone, @beatedsupport
helpline is free on 0808 801 0677.
thetimes.com/article/ad6378…
#Anorexia #EatingDisorders #EatingDisorderRecovery #MentalHealth #mentalhealthatwork
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Hey @FraserMyers since we spoke for this @spikedonline episode I have had about a dozen positive contacts from active or recently retired BBC people. Only two were known to me before and at least one of them is in a senior position in news/current affairs as of now.
Here's a typical example, from today:
'Hi Phil. You don’t know me but I just wanted to thank you for speaking out on the spiked podcast. I’ve been a journalist at the BBC for two decades and I’ve never been as worried about our direction and groupthink as much as I am now. Thanks again and good luck.' youtube.com/watch?v=W0x52U…
Here's a typical example, from today:
'Hi Phil. You don’t know me but I just wanted to thank you for speaking out on the spiked podcast. I’ve been a journalist at the BBC for two decades and I’ve never been as worried about our direction and groupthink as much as I am now. Thanks again and good luck.' youtube.com/watch?v=W0x52U…
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Latest @newswatchbbc now on BBC1 breakfast or the link any time… we looked at the Bbc‘s lack of coverage of the antisemitism out of court settlement with a Jewish Producer and website highlighting a presenter standing outside in extremely stormy weather bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod…
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Kaye Adams retweeted
It was good to see @newswatchbbc cover my story this morning and thank you @SamiraAhmedUK for presenting it. The piece focused in particular on the headline the BBC News website put on its report of my settlement, which appeared to question its size.
Watching, though, I was BC's statement that BBC News "cannot independently verify" the amount of the payment to "Ms Kon" (that's me).
If BBC News wanted to verify the size of the settlement, or any of its other terms, all it needed to do was ask. That includes the non-financial remedies, such as the agreement to restore my name to the end credits of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning @MrNobodyAgainstPutin and the other films it had been removed from. I would have been happy to share the relevant sections of the agreement. The BBC lawyer who signed it, as I did, might also have been able to help.
On Monday, an hour or two before the report was published, a senior BBC journalist called me about the story and the overall settlement. He asked if he could record the call, I agreed, and my recollection is that we discussed the details.
I don't want to dwell on this. I don't want to spend the rest of my life arguing with a former employer I still believe it was a privilege to work for. My focus now is to take what I've learned from all this, move on, find a new role and rebuild my life.
As I do that, I hope the BBC will heed this week's calls to do the same: to learn from my experience; to acknowledge the need for, and set up, an independent inquiry into not only how it treats its Jewish staff but how it reflects its Jewish audiences; and to move into a new Charter with commitments that are kept, so that in its second century the BBC is truly for everyone, its staff and its audiences alike.
#BBC #Antisemitism
Watching, though, I was BC's statement that BBC News "cannot independently verify" the amount of the payment to "Ms Kon" (that's me).
If BBC News wanted to verify the size of the settlement, or any of its other terms, all it needed to do was ask. That includes the non-financial remedies, such as the agreement to restore my name to the end credits of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning @MrNobodyAgainstPutin and the other films it had been removed from. I would have been happy to share the relevant sections of the agreement. The BBC lawyer who signed it, as I did, might also have been able to help.
On Monday, an hour or two before the report was published, a senior BBC journalist called me about the story and the overall settlement. He asked if he could record the call, I agreed, and my recollection is that we discussed the details.
I don't want to dwell on this. I don't want to spend the rest of my life arguing with a former employer I still believe it was a privilege to work for. My focus now is to take what I've learned from all this, move on, find a new role and rebuild my life.
As I do that, I hope the BBC will heed this week's calls to do the same: to learn from my experience; to acknowledge the need for, and set up, an independent inquiry into not only how it treats its Jewish staff but how it reflects its Jewish audiences; and to move into a new Charter with commitments that are kept, so that in its second century the BBC is truly for everyone, its staff and its audiences alike.
#BBC #Antisemitism
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Liverpool! You asked and we listened. I’ve just added a new date in Liverpool for my tour. Don’t make it all for nothing, yeah? Be embarrassing to cancel it after I had many ‘why do you hate Liverpool?’ messages!
All ticket links and locations: leepeart.net/tour
All ticket links and locations: leepeart.net/tour
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Meet the British vet running the length of Sri Lanka for 3 million street dogs. #charity
thedogjog.co.uk
thedogjog.co.uk
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Cardiff - tickets have just gone on sale for my tour show next year! Go snap them up!
wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/20…
wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/20…
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Thanks to our listeners for chipping in pics for our new Boom Radio TV ad! We just loved looking through them.
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Limited tickets for Manchester! London, Hull, Leeds and Birmingham selling fast. Grimsby almost sold out!
OMG! Thrilled to announce my first ever UK tour! And I’ll be even more thrilled if you come to it! Swipe for dates!
Pre-sale on Wednesday before General Sale opens on Thursday!
Link in bio - see you there ❤️
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Durham vet to run mega challenge across Sri Lanka for dog charity
thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/26607691.… via @TheNorthernEcho #charity
thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/26607691.… via @TheNorthernEcho #charity
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John Torode: ‘MasterChef sacking? Lisa’s cancer changed everything’ - The Times and The Sunday Times ❤️ apple.news/A3hmaMPmPTvSK6…
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Kaye Adams retweeted
@colinmccredie will be chatting with award-winning Tom Newlands at the Bookface Sip & Swap on Sat 10 October in Glasgow. All the info & tickets: eventbrite.co.uk/e/198640423754…
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Kaye Adams retweeted
This is a documentary that simply had to be made. It exposes a scandal which should shame the British state. Well done to Marion Scott of the Sunday Post and Finestripe Productions for producing this important record of what happened to so many working class women 😞
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Kaye Adams retweeted
Fascinating by writer @KateClanchy1 about her bizarre cancellation
"Bullsh*t Believed About Me 2021-23" kateclanchy.substack.com/p/bullshit-bel…
"Bullsh*t Believed About Me 2021-23" kateclanchy.substack.com/p/bullshit-bel…
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Utterly heartbreaking. Complete failure of management. Process being put before people with no regard to the human cost . Dad of Treasury worker who took own life speaks of 'unbearable loss' | News UK | Metro News. metro.co.uk/2026/08/26/dad…
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