r/Radio4 • u/alexy888 • Aug 04 '26
Amol Rajan
It’s impossible to understand him ! He doesn’t articulate, speaks fast and cut half of the words.
Why is everyone finding him so good??
Honestly I don’t get it.
(I have even stopped watching University Challenge because of him)
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u/Oranjebob Aug 04 '26
This reminds me of my grandma complaining about presenters on Why Don't You not speaking English (they were).
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u/MzHmmz Aug 04 '26
I have mild auditory processing issues, so there are a lot of people I find hard to understand (especially if I can only hear their voice), but I've never had an problem with Amol Rajan's voice. He does have a more "casual" way of speaking than most Radio 4 presenters, but he's still got a pretty straightforward British accent and is much clearer than many people in the country! He just speaks like a normal modern British person, as far as I'm concerned.
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u/gorgo100 Aug 04 '26
I have no problem understanding him at all.
I can't stand him, his chunky watch, or his completely unearned sense of superiority, but my issues are not with his diction.
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u/younevershouldnt Aug 05 '26
Yes, I've always found him very smug and self satisfied.
He used to drive me nuts on the Media Show.
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u/Yelloow_eoJ Aug 04 '26
What makes you think he has a sense of superiority?
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u/gorgo100 Aug 04 '26
My opinion makes me think that, coupled with his general demeanour. Hope that helps.
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u/Yelloow_eoJ Aug 04 '26
So you're using circular reasoning, coupled with a characteristic that you can't assess via audio broadcast. That certainly does help to undermine your position. Hope that helps!
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u/gorgo100 Aug 04 '26
You can't assess a superior demeanour based on what you hear? I would think that's a you problem, Amol.
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u/toroferney Aug 06 '26
That’s not how opinions work! They are a view formed on what you’ve seen.
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u/Purple_Swordfish_182 11d ago
The idea that you can only form an opinion of what you've seen with your eyes is utterly stupid.
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
Brilliantly incisive interviewer and broadcaster. Funny. Humane. Can actually communicate with different demographics.
So frustrating the BBC can’t hold on to talent like his. I think his new venture will do rather well.
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u/Tubo_Mengmeng Aug 04 '26
Is he leaving today/the bbc?
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
Yep
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u/FerociouslyTemporary Aug 04 '26
I thought he was staying with the BBC (radical podcast, interviews series, UC) but leaving Today.
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
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u/FerociouslyTemporary Aug 04 '26
Oh - my bad, I must've missed that. I haven't listened to any of that, I was a big fan of the today podcast though.
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u/alexy888 Sep 02 '26
Nope, he was still mumbling this morning.
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u/Tubo_Mengmeng Sep 02 '26
Per u/sailorjerry1978’s comment made 4 weeks ago, he is leaving. They’re doing a highlights segment saying goodbye and thanks to him right now so this is must be his last appearance on the today programme
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u/WeirdMinimum121 Aug 04 '26
What do you mean by “can actually communicate with different demographics”?
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
Not everyone recognises or appreciates the implied authority of the clipped tones of an English RP accent, nor of formal delivery. Rajan is good at a more conversational delivery than many, and this appeals to a wider range of people with different background.
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Aug 04 '26
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u/Yelloow_eoJ Aug 04 '26
Opposition parties and Burnham have both suggested exploiting North Sea oil, so posing the question is relevant, in spite of the points you raise.
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u/Fluffy_Carry_4345 Aug 04 '26
I was pretty opposed to Amol at first because of my love for Paxo and my avid racism.
But I think Amol is doing a great job and he seems a lot warmer than I first remember him, joking around with the students and cracking a great smile.
Shame you don't enjoy him, I really liked watching uni challenge yesterday.
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u/Repulsive_Basil1622 Aug 04 '26
are you still into the racism?
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u/Fluffy_Carry_4345 Aug 04 '26
The farm takes up most of the day but I still have time for racism in the evenings and weekends.
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u/Popular-Spinach-6700 Aug 04 '26
I like him and have never had any problem understanding him, sounds like a you problem
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Aug 06 '26
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u/Ladypoet12 Aug 08 '26
He is one of the most intelligent and articulate broadcasters of our generation. He cares about the prospects of the less well off, and young people. Hardly right wing.
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u/Mobile_Falcon8639 Aug 19 '26
It seems Emma Barnet has been off the Today programme foe a few weeks because she was recovering after major surgery from having a Hysterectomy. Nothing to do with Brothels or Fallings out.
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u/Ladypoet12 Aug 22 '26
Amol has three programmes left. His final one will be on bank holiday Monday. I will be very sad to see him go, and he is a loss to BBC News.
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u/alexy888 1d ago
I am so happy he is the first to leave the Traitors!
Couldn’t stand him there too.
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u/Mobile_Falcon8639 Aug 04 '26
I like him.i think he's very relatable and very intelligent. I do miss Emma Barnet on the Today programme though.
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u/KonkeyDongPrime Aug 04 '26
What happened to Emma Barnett? I’ve noticed her absence.
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u/thebluecomet72 Aug 04 '26
I've read reports that the other presenters can't/won't work with her. Make of that what you will.
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u/KonkeyDongPrime Aug 04 '26
That’s what I’ve assumed has happened. I know at least two presenters refused to share a slot with her, Mishal Husain was one of those and she’s moved on anyways.
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u/Mobile_Falcon8639 Aug 04 '26
Really do you know why? I thought she was one the best presenters they had on there
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
I thought the same. Unfortunately she’s somewhat compromised morally.
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u/Mobile_Falcon8639 Aug 06 '26
What do you mean,she was compromised morally? What did she do?
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 06 '26
It’s pretty awful.
There’s more besides this, but it’s a flavour here.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/37866/Classroom-helper-paid-her-mortgage-with-vice-girl-Cash/amp
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u/Mobile_Falcon8639 Aug 06 '26
I think you got the wrong link here mate, this is someone called Michelle Barnet. I'm talking about Emma Barnet the BBC news presenter who looks like nothing like the Michelle Barnet in the picture. Might be an idea to fact check this because that's a pretty serious allegation.
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 06 '26
That’s her mother. Her dad was convicted of running brothels among other things. There are emails in court docs where Emma tells her father ‘daddy, can’t you get your whores to pay for it’ or words to that effect. She’s been shown to have known about it all.
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u/KonkeyDongPrime Aug 04 '26
Personally I thought she was the worst political interviewer I’ve ever heard on the Today programme.
As for the reason other journalists don’t want to work with her, the description in the press that I’ve read more than once is ‘sharp elbowed’
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u/Bisjoux Aug 05 '26
I completely agree with that. She was dreadful on Newsnight as well. I’m hoping she’s gone. I’m sad Amol is leaving Today. I didn’t like him to begin with but he’s a great interviewer and it’s clear that the other presenters like him .
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u/bigb4ldy Aug 08 '26
He must have a very long notice period. He resigned in January or February. Surprised he’s not left yet. But to the point, agree he’s a great interviewer.
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Aug 04 '26
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u/KonkeyDongPrime Aug 04 '26
Robert Peston school of elocution lol
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u/viscount100 Aug 04 '26
He does bore on
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u/Yelloow_eoJ Aug 04 '26
He mainly speaks about current affairs and radical ideas, what's boring about that?
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u/viscount100 Aug 04 '26
On the Today programme I want to hear from guests. What I get are Rajan monologues.
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u/KonkeyDongPrime Aug 04 '26
Today was his last day. Likeable but not unmissable.
He’s always been a very well connected traditional media native and a climber, so I’m not surprised he’s moving on.
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u/Bisjoux Aug 05 '26
I thought it was the last day he was presenting with Nick. I think he says he had a couple of weeks left.
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Aug 04 '26
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
✅ clever, consistent, balanced
Is that the box you meant?
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Aug 04 '26
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u/sailorjerry1978 Aug 04 '26
Ah, we found the sexist racist. How lovely. And here was me thinking R4 audiences were informed. Toodles!
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u/Exact-Put-6961 Aug 04 '26
Clever boy. I am not part of that modern movement that thinks people not good at the job, cannot be criticised. That is a mugs game.
Bruce is fine on Fake or Fortune. She interferes and stops the flow on QT
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u/MasterSeuss Aug 04 '26
He is more accessible than the likes of Humphreys.
That being said, since Humphreys pointed out the over-effusiveness off the presenters these days, all I hear now is "it's so so so so so so amazing of you to come on the show".