“SOME say you were his Lady Macbeth?” The question is being put to Cherie Blair by the documentary director and narrator Michael Waldman. The expression on her face is both derisory and faintly incredulous: “If anyone thinks he’s my puppet, then they’ve just not understood the nature of the man.” So begins episode one of The Tony Blair Story (Channel 4, 17 February), a three-part series delving into the life of one of our most successful and controversial politicians.
This promisingly candid opening hints at a depth of scrutiny which is, sadly, missing from the rest of the episode. Despite including contributions from people such as Bill Clinton, Alastair Campbell, and Jeremy Corbyn, the quality of analysis remains surface-level throughout.
This first episode briefly covers Sir Tony’s childhood and early years, and the various sorrows that shaped him: his father’s stroke when he was a child, his mother’s death when he was still at Oxford, and the suicide of a close friend. With his private-school education at Fettes College, in Edinburgh, these events combined to “knock the emotion out of you”: a valuable attribute for a future Prime Minister.
It is clear that, from early on in his career, here was a man with a sense of destiny and with a vision for the Labour Party which has had profound consequences for our country today: “I don’t actually think it’s a matter of Right and Left. . . What I do think is that it’s a matter of style,” he said back in 1983.
Ultimately, it is not what is said here that provides the most insight. It is the awkwardly elongated close-ups of Sir Tony, when the camera keeps on rolling, catching a myriad of uncomfortable facial expressions that suggest much about what is not being said. It is a fascinating spectacle.
There was frenzied media interest generated by the 2019 Newsnight interview with the man formerly known as Prince Andrew. Recalling it, particularly in light of his recent arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, it is hard not to compare and contrast his conduct with that of the subject of Gisèle Pelicot: The Newsnight Interview (BBC2, 15 February).
Speaking with Victoria Derbyshire, Mme Pelicot is composed, calm, and dignified, a courageous survivor telling a story of unimaginable horror. Her case was the biggest rape trial in French history, one that led to the conviction of her husband and 51 other men. She describes her ordeal as a “descent into hell”.
Her brave decision to waive her right to anonymity, and her assertion that “shame must change sides,” has given hope and courage to victims of rape and sexual assault all over the world. This interview is a powerful and moving encounter with a rare human being. If you watch any Newsnight interview, make sure it’s this one.
