On a gray Edinburgh afternoon, the room at the TV Festival had the taut, expectant hum of a courtroom before a verdict. Matt Brittin, the BBC’s newly installed director-general, knew exactly what he was walking into. The job had been described as a poisoned chalice long before he accepted it, and the months since he took over in May had done nothing to sweeten the drink. A former Google executive and, in an earlier life, an Olympic rower, Brittin suddenly found himself facing an audience of journalists, producers, students and at least one disgruntled political candidate who had recently stood…

The crisp autumn air of Doncaster carries with it a weight of history, a solemn promise woven into the very fabric of the community. As November approaches, the town’s thoughts turn to a sacred tradition: the Remembrance Sunday parade, a poignant journey of respect that winds its way from the War Memorial to the hallowed quiet of the Minster. But this year, the peace was briefly disturbed by a ripple of disquieting rumours that swept through social media, casting a shadow of doubt over the cherished event. Whispers turned into heated posts, claiming that the heart of the town’s tribute…