BBC Radio 4's Today programme host Nick Robinson found himself in hot water with listeners and his own wife after a glaring literary mix-up during a segment marking a major author's anniversary.
A Costume Confusion Sparks Complaints
While discussing Jane Austen Day with co-presenter Anna Foster on Tuesday, Robinson, 62, enthusiastically offered to do a live reading of Austen's works in period costume. However, the veteran broadcaster, who earns £410,000 from the BBC, then told listeners: ‘I will pop out and get my Heathcliff costume’.
This immediately raised eyebrows, as Heathcliff is the iconic, brooding hero of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights, not a character from the world of Jane Austen. Author Adrian Hilton was among those baffled, posting: ‘Does he think she wrote Wuthering Heights?’
Wife Pippa Leads the Chorus of Correction
The error did not go unnoticed at home. Robinson later revealed on air that his wife of 34 years, Pippa Robinson, had been quick to message him. He shared her text: ‘Don’t dress as Heathcliff, you fool!’ She was joined by a flood of other listeners contacting the programme to point out the mistake.
In a further stumble while attempting to apologise, Robinson compounded the error by referencing Charlotte Brontë, Emily's sister and author of Jane Eyre, instead. He then appeared to jest about the gaffe by mockingly offering five billion dollars in compensation to a Jane Austen charity, a quip seemingly aimed at former US President Donald Trump's litigious tendencies.
A City Celebrates its Literary Heroine
The blunder occurred on the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, a milestone celebrated by fans globally. Austen, who penned classics like Pride and Prejudice and Emma, is synonymous with the city of Bath, where she lived from 1801 to 1806. In September, thousands attended the Jane Austen Festival in the city to honour the occasion.
The incident serves as a humorous reminder of the perils of live radio and the sharp-eyed scrutiny of the British literary public, proving that even the most seasoned presenters can get a telling off for not having their facts in order.
