It's Wednesday night, it's 10.35pm, I'm watching BBC2

Anyone who has been on Twitter and Facebook these past few weeks will have noted there's been quite a anti-Stephen Nolan campaign going on.

LAD seem to be championing that the Nolan Show should go. Only a few weeks ago we had the censorship debate of 'The Bible' play in Newtownabbey. I don't like the Nolan Show but I'm certainly not asking for it to be put off the air. I simply change the channel, read a book or go to bed. Unfortunately it is the biggest show in the country and many people do enjoy it and they have the same right to watch what they want as the people who had tickets for the Bible play.

What next? Try to get Lesser Spotted Ulster off the air for showing a farmer who owns a Massey Ferguson when you're a John Deere fan? Or boycotting Final Score from Northern Ireland because of Mark Sidebottom's autocue skills.

While I myself don't particularly enjoy Nolan, I don't really understand the problem people have with his show. Some argue he panders to those with extreme views, that he uses pantomime politics on his show and that he should be more hard hitting with his questioning.

The simple fact is that the Nolan Show on radio and TV are both entertainment shows. They are not designed to be hard-hitting political showdowns. For example, last night John McCririck and two other pensioners stripped down to their undies. Its hard to imagine that Deirdre Heenan and Rick Wilford would be stripped down to their undies on The View as it is a political programme that examines political issues. Shows like The View, Today at Stormont and Sunday Politics are very good at dealing with the political developments. Mark Carruthers is excellent in that role. He is fair and gets straight to the point.

The argument that Nolan uses pantomime politics on his show is more to do with the politicians than Nolan's questioning. Here in Northern Ireland we specialise in pantomime politics. 'He's behind you so he is. Oh no he isn't so he's not'. When the backward politicians from the two sides of the community clash on Nolan it makes for good ratings. Sad but it's true. Is it their fault for being backward or is it the electorate's fault for keeping them in government? The politicians are a representation of the people after all.

Nolan Show is no different from The Late Late Show or Joe Duffy's morning show in the Republic. They're a variety of things but definitely not hard hitting politcial shows. Late Late Show especially with its music, politicans, celebrities etc. By the way any old excuse to put this video of Pat Kenny getting heckled to his face.

Then there was the Ross Kemp programme the night before. Alex Kane criticised Ross Kemp for his 'Extreme World' programme. He argued there was no counter-balance showing the peaceful side of Northern Ireland. This is the only Ross Kemp show I've ever watched but I wasn't expecting Ross Kemp to show the peaceful side of Northern Ireland. The title of the show gives away what is going to follow. Some blame Ross Kemp and the show's production team for the show been unhelpful, but they are just exposing the hatred and violence that happened last summer from both sides of Northern Ireland's community. Ross Kemp didn't throw those petrol bombs, the producer of the show wasn't wielding a ceremonial sword. It's easy to say we learned nothing new from the show but to people in England, Scotland and Wales the show would have given an insight to some of the tensions in Northern Ireland. It's easy to criticise the people making the show but what they exposed was fair, unbiased, and most importantly it was factual.


If I'm looking for subtle acting I don't watch Eastenders or Hollyoaks. If I'm looking to listen to Stone Roses I shouldn't tune into Hugo Duncan show at 1.30 every day. If I'm looking for hard hitting political questioning I don't watch or listen to The Nolan Show, I go elsewhere for that sort of thing. Careful now. Newsnight on BBC2 starts the same time as Nolan. American Dad/Family is on BBC3 at that time too.

The truth is that if the politicians were doing their job then Ross Kemp wouldn't have brought his show to Northern Ireland, and Nolan would not have as much material to work with as he currently does.

Disclaimer: I do not have any associations with Mr Kemp or Mr Nolan in any way.