Death Needs To Be Discussed, Says Joan Bakewell After Show On Death Was Axed

26 September 2019, 20:51

Death applies to everyone and needs to be discussed, said Dame Joan Bakewell, whose radio show, which tells people the facts about death, has just been cancelled.

Dame Joan Bakewell said when the first episode of We Need To Talk About Death came out, "I said 'I hope we can start a national debate about death and dying'," Our own, those of who we love, death in general.

I set that out as my agenda. I'd only got through part of it but it's a really important subject. It applies to everyone, nobody is excluded. Everybody has those they love: their family, their children, neighbours.

There's grief everywhere, a lot of it disguised or covered up, and with it goes a lot of ignorance about what happens.

Iain Dale asked why the three-series show had been axed.

Bakewell replied that it was an "administrative" reply which mentioned costs and opportunities for other shows.

Iain said: "All programmes run their course but you clearly didn't believe yours had."

"No I knew that the subjects had a long way to go, it's an inexhaustible subject. I could see they might think 'she's a bit long in the tooth these days, she's had a broadcasting career of 40 years, it's time for her to go'."

"On the other hand, it's quite suitable for me to present a programme because of course I know a lot of people who die of my generation!"

Watch the full interview below.