The BBC has been accused of many things, but surely this is the most heinous crime of all – (younger readers look away now. We said NOW! Go tidy your room or something) – that's right, they've killed Father Christmas. "It's been clear over the last few months that far from being the generous paternal employer it once was, the BBC is turning into that perennial Christmas favourite Scrooge," writes Julie Clayton of BBC Radio Cumbria to the corporation's in-house mag, Ariel. "Now it's trying to ruin the magic of Christmas for its younger viewers." How so? "As we settled down to watch Strictly on Saturday night we were treated to a 6pm viewing of the BBC1 Christmas trail. It starts with a grumpy Robert Lindsay from My Family dressed as Santa pushing a young girl off his knee when she declares "I don't believe in Father Christmas!". Cue my five-year-old to turn to me with tears in her eyes. "'Mummy, what was that? Why doesn't she believe in Santa?'" It could be worse, Julie. She could stop believing in a television licence fee levied on all UK households, companies and organisations using any type of equipment to record and/or receive live television broadcasts, the level of the fee is set annually by the British government and agreed by parliament. Bah! Humbug!
