Maitlis

I read Emily Maitlis' book, Airhead, at the end of last year, and thought that it was an excellent read. Now it seems like rather than presenting the news, she's in danger of becoming the story herself. Right now she's trending on Twitter, although there was a distinct lack of any mention on the BBC ten o'clock news, and as I sit here and compose this, I'm watching the start of Newsnight. Again, no mention of the missing presenter.

Speculation in the Twitter-sphere is rife:

• Was the BBC lent on to sanction Maitlis after her opening remarks to yesterday's programme (comments that started with "Dominic Cummings broke the rules - the country can see that, and it's shocked that the government cannot" and went on to "he made those who struggled to keep the rules look like fools")?
• Has she refused to present tonight's show in protest at her treatment (it certainly looks like she was originally due to be back today, having signed off last night's show with "that's it from us, but I'll be back tomorrow")?
• Has Maitlis been 'suspended' in some way from her job? If so, does it not seem a little ironic that reporting on a story about whether someone should apologise / resign / be fired could put your own job in peril.

Stories within stories, and from the government's point of view, this just won't go away.