TV MINISTER AUDITIONS FOR "FAKING IT"

29-09-2007

Tut, tut, tut. The Culture Secretary James Purnell who led the ministerial onslaught against dishonest TV quizzes and documentaries is now at the centre of his own faking row. He missed a group photo opportunity outside one of his local hospitals near Manchester, but thanks to digital trickery, his image was slipped into the picture anyway.

Purnell's aides initially admitted that he had consented to having the shot doctored, although they - and he - have now retreated from this position. In an interview with local telly in the north-west the Minister insisted he would never have consented to such a blatant con trick.

As if.

But his account is at odds with a statement issued earlier by the Tameside and Glossop NHS Trust, which seemed to suggest that he had agreed to have the snap doctored.

They said: "Unfortunately, due to his hectic ministerial schedule James Purnell was late for the photo-shoot, and arrived shortly after the other MPs had to leave.

"All the MPs had gone to great efforts to show their support, and as we would not be able to stage a repeat of this historic day for the hospital, we decided to take a photograph of Mr Purnell in the same spot very shortly after, and merge it with the earlier photograph, to which Mr Purnell kindly consented."

All very embarrassing, given that Purnell warned telly bosses to "get their house in order" earlier this month at the RTS, following revelations about rip-off quiz lines and dishonestly edited documentaries.

The Tories are now calling for Purnell's head, suggesting that his position is untenable.

We're not sure about that - but it does make it rather awkward for him to lecture the nation's broadcasters on their morality. Still, that slot on "Faking It" is assured.