Speaking out for the first time on accusations of nepotism, bias and slipping standards, Richard Hickox says “Don’t think that people who criticise are not welcome; they are. But the way they have gone about it – with off-the-record inaccurate allegations – isn’t what I’d call a debate. And then just making more and more allegations, just in the hope that one might stick, it’s not a good way of behaving.” (On casting his wife: “If she wasn’t the best person, it would be the worst possible thing I could do, to offer her a role.”)