Robin Brown

Truly has the world gone mad. What started off as quite an amusing aside relating to the unsightly stubble on Adrian Chiles’ face has turned into something of a media mini-storm, with the news that the Beeb has ordered Chiles to shave off his beard.

Bizarrely, famous beardies such as Noel Edmonds, David Blunkett and Justin Lee Collins have come out the woodwork to support the Brummie workaholic, who fronts The One Show, Match of the Day 2 and The Apprentice: You’re Fired.

What’s not clear is whether all of this is a bit of canny marketing or more evidence of a jittery BBC worrying about upsetting, well, anyone in a post-Sachsgate world.

Exactly what sort of problem sporting a beard poses is not especially clear to me, a beard-wearer for the best part of a decade. Telling a man his face au naturel is unsuitable for the workplace seems dangerously close to me to telling a woman to go home and put some make-up on, unless she wants a disciplinary.

But the fact that Chiles is rumoured to be in poll position to take over Jonathan Ross’ chat show, pretty much the strongest piece of showbiz real estate at the Big British Castle is interesting. It’s a good bit of exposure for Chiles at what could be a fairly crucial point in his career.

Chiles’ reaction to beardgate? “Women and many gay men have told me it looks good, so it’s staying.” Wonder what Christine thinks of it.

Stay or go? Vote in my poll!