Lauren Laverne Overwhelmed By Support After Journalist's Takedown Over Desert Island Discs Role

Lauren Laverne has been flooded with support after being the subject of a takedown article over her role on Radio 4′s Desert Island Discs.

A piece in The Spectator titled ‘Desert Island Discs has completely lost the plot’ claimed that Lauren was not the best person to be fronting the long-running programme.

Lauren Laverne hosts BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs

Writer Kate Chisholm called the presenter “lightweight and uncerebral”, claiming the show had become “more politically correct” during her tenure.

“Her capacity to come up with the forgettable phrase is quite something,” Chisholm added.

Fans of the programme quickly rushed to the defence of Lauren, who began hosting when Kirsty Young took a leave of absence in 2017 due to her on-going battle with fibromyalgia - a chronic condition which causes pain all over the body.

Finally found the hill that I'm prepared to die on, @laurenlaverne is an excellent interviewer and obviously highly intelligent. Anyone that can get a warm interview out of Lou Reed is worth their weight in gold. What a bitchy snobbish article.
— Becky Harris Cowley (@bexhc73) August 9, 2019

Hey @laurenlaverne I’m running a campaign challenging BBC on their erasure of middle aged women & their misguided, exclusionary need to attract audiences under 35 at the BBC. I think you’re PERFECT on desert island discs. That writer wants you replaced by a 71 year old bloke? 🤮
— Nicky Clark (@MrsNickyClark) August 10, 2019

I've enjoyed how this mad hatchet-piece, about how Lauren isn't as good as Kirsty, has attributed a quote to Lauren which was actually said by Kirsty. Like watching Wile E Coyote press the detonator - only to find the TNT is in his pants. https://t.co/oFnWoKsglA
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) August 9, 2019

1. You rule
2. Everyone I know agrees that you rule.
3. Anyone else can f@ck right off.
I think that covers it. X
— Mark Kermode (@KermodeMovie) August 10, 2019

I’ve loved DID for 30 years, each presenter has their own style and strengths, which is all part of what makes this one of the best radio programmes. You are doing a brilliant job.
— Andy Sawford (@andy_sawford) August 9, 2019

As someone who had the actual pleasure of being on actual DID interviewed by actual you, I am very much in your corner xx
— Tracey Thorn (@tracey_thorn) August 9, 2019

This is a completely wrong! Ignore it @BBC. Was just listening to Lauren Laverne this am & thought, again, she was excellent. She lets the guests reveal themselves. Which is what we want. https://t.co/ybonMTbZj1
— Harriet Harman (@HarrietHarman) August 9, 2019

Nah, completely disagree. Lauren is a top top broadcaster. I thought she was excellent with John Cooper Clarke actually. She allowed him to be him - an idiosyncratic genius - that's a talent in itself surely? Been listening to Lauren for years. She's ace.
— Gary Seabrook (@garyseabrook) August 10, 2019

Hardly ever miss the programme. Was listening to the Tim Waterstone one this morning - it was quite moving - he really opened up and you never make it about you as far as I can see. Spectator was it? You can see here what people think of them. All the best.
— Claude Moraes (@Claude_Moraes) August 9, 2019

Utter bollocks. @laurenlaverne is clever, warm and has a lovely NE accent. The episode with John Cooper Clarke was the best in donkey's years.
Heaven forfend we hear regional accents on Radio 4. https://t.co/b8eNMw7XuM
— Peter Smith (@Redpeter99) August 10, 2019

After seeing many of the messages on Twitter, Lauren said she “couldn’t be happier”.

She tweeted: “Today has been an entirely unexpected inventory of who is in my corner. I have to say I couldn’t be happier. In fact it’s been the best day in ages. Isn’t it funny how it goes that way sometimes?

“Thanks very much to everyone who has been so kind.”

Today has been an entirely unexpected inventory of who is in my corner. I have to say I couldn’t be happier. In fact it’s been the best day in ages. Isn’t it funny how it goes that way sometimes? Thanks very much to everyone who has been so kind.
— Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne) August 9, 2019

She continued: “My kids have chosen this weekend’s activity, so - in this weather - we are at a theme park. Just came back to check Twitter while watching the bags as they scream their heads off on a rollercoaster. The wave of messages is as surreal as it is wonderful.

“As a seasoned festival goer I’ve had many surreal experiences while wearing a kagoule but this is a new PB. Thank you all so much for your kind words. I hope to live up to them,” she added.

My kids have chosen this weekend’s activity, so - in this weather - we are at a theme park. Just came back to check Twitter while watching the bags as they scream their heads off on a rollercoaster. The wave of messages is as surreal as it is wonderful...
— Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne) August 10, 2019

....As a seasoned festival goer I’ve had many surreal experiences while wearing a kagoule but this is a new PB. Thank you all so much for your kind words. I hope to live up to them.
— Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne) August 10, 2019

Kirsty announced she would not be returning to Desert Island Discs last month, after 12 years at the helm.

In a statement, she said that while she’s “well on the way to feeling much better”, her time off “altered her perspective on what she should do next”.

Kirsty confirmed she would not be returning to Desert Island Discs last month

It was subsequently confirmed Lauren would continue to host the interview series “for the foreseeable future”, although the Spectator piece claimed that Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya “is apparently looking for someone other than Lauren to front the programme”.

During her tenure, Kirsty hosted 496 episodes of Desert Island Discs, with guests as wide-ranging as Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench, Tom Hanks and Kylie Minogue.

Desert Island Discs celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2017, marking the occasion with a special interview with David Beckham.