ROLY KEATING, a Balliol-educated classicist and the BBC Two controller who needed security guard protection, is an unlikely candidate for the scourge of Middle England.

Keating, 43, is regarded as one of the BBC’s brightest brains and was made joint-leader of the team preparing the corporation’s case for the renewal of the licence fee.

As launch controller of BBC Four, Keating gave space to challenging arts and current affairs documentaries that critics said had been downgraded on the main channels.

Promoted to run BBC Two last year, he promised to cut back lifestyle shows and to make his station “the channel of record about how British society is changing”.

After persuading the Globe Theatre to allow BBC Four’s cameras to film a live performance of Richard II, Keating hoped that Jerry Springer — The Opera would bring a recognised piece of contemporary theatre to a wider audience.

He defended his decision to broadcast the work unedited, saying: “The opera is about confronting people with extremes of taste and behaviour, so to compromise that would be pointless.

“Of course, it won’t be to everyone’s taste, and that’s a risk you take when you broadcast serious work.”

Although the Springer row has spun out of control, it has served Mr Keating’s purpose in alerting younger viewers that there is more to BBC Two than Gardeners’ World. His next challenge is reviving Top of the Pops, which transfers to BBC Two in the spring.

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