Jeremy Paxman's beard: Is the BBC pogonophobic?

Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman says he "may keep" his new beard, after its debut caused a storm on Twitter.

"Unless you're lucky enough to be Uncle Albert on Only Fools and Horses, Demis Roussos or Abu Hamza, the BBC is generally as pogonophobic as the late-lamented Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha," he said.

"Beard of the year" and former BBC presenter Robin Lustig told Martha Kearney on Radio 4's The World at One that the BBC is pogonophobic when it comes to television presenters.