The BBC: nest of woke lefty propaganda or tame right-wing mouthpiece? Or something more complex? As the BBC marks its 100th birthday and Nadine Dorries tries to kill off the Licence Fee, Simon Potter – author of This Is The BBC: Entertaining The Nation, Speaking For Britain? – talks to Andrew Harrison about the Corporation’s tangled roots, clouded future, much-contested purpose… and why politicians from left, right and centre always seem to hate it.

• “Once you let broadcasting into politics, you’ll never get politics out of broadcasting.”

• “The BBC has a mission to expand its empire into every single media possible.”

Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant producer: Elina Ganatra. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Daily: Auntie Matter – The BBC’s 100-year battle with government