RICHARD EDEN: Fans shocked as Lord Bragg is ‘ambushed’ by former Channel 4 News star Samira Ahmed over ‘alleged on-screen exploitation of women’ at event celebrating his 60 years of broadcasting

The British Film Institute was keen to celebrate the ‘incredible 60-year broadcasting career’ of Melvyn Bragg, so invited him to be interviewed by former Channel 4 News star Samira Ahmed on stage at London’s BFI Southbank on Sunday.

But Lord Bragg’s fans were shocked when Ahmed ‘ambushed’ him over alleged ‘on-screen exploitation of women’.

Referring to A Time To Dance, the 1992 BBC One adaptation of his novel, Ahmed declared: ‘A lot of women were horrified by this portrayal of a middle-aged man in a relationship with a teenage woman.’

A clip was shown in which a bank manager, played by the late Ronald Pickup, 51 at the time, was seen falling for the charms of an 18-year-old (Dervla Kirwan, then 19).

Bragg, 84, explained: ‘I do believe in the liberty of expression. If you look at literature over many years, the idea of an older man and a younger woman is commonplace.

Referring to A Time To Dance, the 1992 BBC One adaptation of his novel, Samira Ahmed (pictured) ‘ambushed’ him over alleged ‘on-screen exploitation of women’.

A clip was shown in which a bank manager, played by the late Ronald Pickup, 51 at the time, was seen falling for the charms of an 18-year-old Dervla Kirwan (pictured)

‘The notion that this is something so exceptional that we should ban it is something that I don’t think holds water.’

Ahmed, 56, was not satisfied, protesting: ‘It was very uncomfortable viewing and it suggested that the people making television, to some extent, were completely unaware of how exploitative the relationship was. 

‘It’s about the exploitation on screen of younger women.’

Bragg hit back: ‘Why is it exploitation? Older men do fall in love with younger women and live happily ever after. Once you start bringing these rules, you’re in trouble.’

He added of Ahmed: ‘You keep banging about cultural attitudes.’ This response won him a round of applause.