Beards are 'ridiculous and disgusting', says John Humphrys
Radio 4 presenter John Humphrys reveals he thinks facial hair is ‘ridiculous and disgusting’
Jeremy Paxman once accused the BBC of discriminating against men with beards.
But it seems the humorous comment may have some truth as senior presenter John Humphrys reveals he thinks facial hair is ‘ridiculous and disgusting’.
The Radio 4 man’s comments came out yesterday on the Today programme in a feature about the function of men’s whiskers.
Humphrys, ignoring the comments of his guest beard historian Dr Alun Withey, said: ‘Those of us who think beards are ridiculous and disgusting will continue to think so.’
More than half of men in the UK now sport some sort of facial hair, according to recent research, and an exhibition opened yesterday in London to celebrate beard mania in Victorian times.
Dr Witney, a medical historian and beard expert from Exeter University was quizzed on the apparent benefits of beards.
He said: ‘The beard is and was important to masculinity. It’s the ability to grow a beard that’s important.
‘In the Victorian period if you couldn’t grow a beard you were accused of effeminacy. I even found a patent for a mechanical beard.
‘There are all sorts of health benefits - it keeps you warm in winter, stops dust going down your throat and protects you from the sun. It has an SPF of around 21 apparently.
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Share‘It keeps the skin soft and keeps the bad stuff away.’
But despite the professor’s research subject Humphrys still chose to fire off the broadside.
Three years ago Paxman returned from holiday sporting facial hair, sparking a media storm which resulted in the presenter saying the BBC discriminated against men with beards.
Three years ago Paxman returned from holiday sporting facial hair, sparking a media storm which resulted in the presenter saying the BBC discriminated against beards
He accused the BBC of being as ‘pogonophobic as the late-lamented Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha’, who passed laws banning beards during his 40-year rule.
Paxman’s comments were quickly backed up by other senior presenters. Ben Fogle, who shot to fame on Castaway in 2000 before presenting Countryfile, said: ‘Lots of stories about beardism out there. I was once told I’d lose my job if I didn’t lose the beard. Every time I grow one I get told to shave by television execs. TV hates a good beard.’
Robin Lustig, the retired presenter of Radio 4’s World Tonight programme, said: ‘I was told that if I seriously wanted to do more, I would have to get rid of my beard.’
Paxman eventually shaved his beard after 147 days saying beards are ‘so 2013’.
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