Sarah Sands, Eddie Mair leaves PM, Ed 'Death Metal' Miliband returns

Published: July 6, 2018, 4 p.m.

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Editor Sarah Sands joins Roger Bolton to discuss online criticism of the Today programme, PM listeners bid goodbye to Eddie Mair and Radio 2 explains why Ed "Death Metal" Miliband is returning to the network, this time alongside Michael Howard.

Today has been coming under fire on social media, in the press and in the Feedback inbox. Some listeners and outside critics are decrying what they see as unbalanced news coverage, a lack of hard facts on big issues and overly aggressive interviews from presenters. The Editor Sarah Sands answers the criticisms and discusses her strategy for the future of BBC Radio\'s flagship news programme.

Eddie Mair has just announced that he is seeking a change after 20 years of presenting PM for Radio 4 and heading straight to a commercial competitor. Most, though not all, in the Feedback inbox are dismayed and we hear their messages of farewell.

And after putting Ed Miliband in place of Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 made headlines last year, the network has decided to repeat the experiment. The Jeremy Vine show editor, Phil Jones, tells Feedback why they brought Ed back but not Iain Duncan Smith, how he thinks Michael Howard will fare on his debut in Jeremy Vine\'s chair, and whether he has any big stunts up his sleeve for their shows.

Presenter: Roger Bolton\\nProducer: Will Yates\\nExecutive Producer: Katherine Godfrey

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

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