4. The Defence of Kate Clanchy

Although Kate Clanchy faces a torrent of criticism in the summer of 2021, many people supported her — fellow writers, journalists, and some of her own students. They say she has been misunderstood.

Katie Razzall speaks to those who stood by her—including a former student who credits Kate Clanchy with empowering him and others through poetry and mentorship.

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.