THEGAYUK

Tag: BBC

All the latest breaking news on the UK Broadcaster, BBC. Browse The THEGAYUK’s complete collection of features and commentary on the BBC.

  • BBC issues apology for misappropriating the red ribbon on World AIDS Days

    The Twitter team behind BBC North released an apology that many are calling unacceptable.

    In the tweet the BBC North West team, said,

    “We have deleted a tweet about our project to pay tribute to COVID victims. Given we have used red ribbons as part of it, we understand why some people found it insensitive on World AIDS Day. We’re sorry.

    “We have been working closely with those who have lost loved ones to COVID and this initiative is to remember those who have died during the pandemic.”

    bbc apology for tree of lives and using red ribbon

    What happened for the BBC to have to apologise?

    The row started after the BBC announced it had created a project to commemorate lost lives from COVID in the North West, except they used a red ribbon, a symbol for the lives lost due to AIDS and which has been in use since 1991. The other element that truly upset people, was the date on which they decided to announce the project, the 1st of December, globally known as World AIDS Day.

    “Unacceptable”

    The apology was branded a “non-apology” by many and an insult to the millions of lives lost to AIDS.

    The apology was dismissed as fakery by many, including user Chris who blasted the BBC newsroom’s apology as “Utter fakery”.

    https://twitter.com/ChrisOfDevon/status/1333936937254653953

    One user also commented on the disrespect of misappropriating well-known LGBT+ symbols in 2020.

    “At the end of a year in which the rainbow flag was ‘borrowed’ to celebrate the NHS and even gay publications were promoting anti-trans lobbying groups, today of all days is not a good moment to misappropriate the red ribbon”

    https://twitter.com/Dutch_editor/status/1333901451115028484

    This is the second symbol appropriated from the LGBT+ community in 2020. The Pride rainbow flag which was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1979 became synonymous with the NHS and COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic in the UK.

    Another added that the 1st of December should be left to “remembering, mourning, and celebrating the lives of a near generation of queer people…”

    https://twitter.com/SebEvansXX/status/1333887644934299649

    THEGAYUK.com reached out to the BBC for further comment

  • BBC accused of appropriating HIV/AID red ribbon symbol for its COVID-19 Tree of Lives

    ‘Tree of Lives’ branded “Unbelievably inappropriate & wholly insensitive”

    BBC North West has come under fire after it invited people to commemorate victims of the COVID-19 pandemic by tieing a red ribbon to a tree on World AIDS Day, they called the project, Tree Of Lives.

    The Tweet, which was from the official BBC North West Twitter account wrote,

    “Thousands of people across our region have lost loved ones to Covid-19. Join us at BBC NW to remember those that have died, by tying a red ribbon to your Christmas tree or a tree in your garden.”

    https://twitter.com/BBCNWT/status/1333726812120223744

    However, the corporation has been accused of appropriating an established symbol of HIV/AIDs – the red ribbon.

    bbc tree of lives

    The red ribbon has been in use since 1991 as a way of commemorating the millions who have died from AIDS since the 1980s.

    One Twitter user, Scubamonkey, blasted the BBC saying, “Unbelievably inappropriate & wholly insensitive on #WorldAIDSDay2020. I’ve every sympathy for those who have lost loved ones to #Covid, but this appropriation of an established symbol of #HIV & #AIDS is an appalling insult to those people who have lost their lives to #HIV. It is quite frankly unbelievable how you insult and trample over one set of grieving families to show solidarity and support to another. It speaks volumes about where your priorities lie”

    Another, Lkeels, wrote, “What an asinine choice to take the red ribbon for your own cause and ON WORLD AIDS DAY OF ALL DAYS!!! You should be ashamed of this.”

    HIV advocate, Tom Knight added, “I’m sure you meant well but your ignorance is shocking, and to say you ‘thought it through’. This is so disrespectful.”

    This is the second symbol appropriated from the LGBT+ community in 2020. The Pride rainbow flag which was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1979 became synonymous with the NHS and COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic in the UK.

    “We did consider the colour ribbon very carefully”

    A response by the BBC Twitter feed responded to some of the criticism saying, “we did consider what colour ribbon to use very carefully- most colours are associated with a cause which is why this is tied differently.”

    Tweet deleted

    Since publication, the Tweet, which shared information on the Tree of Lives has been deleted.

    The BBC issued an appology via Twitter saying,

    “We have deleted a tweet about our project to pay tribute to COVID victims. Given we have used red ribbons as part of it, we understand why some people found it insensitive on World AIDS Day. We’re sorry.

    “We have been working closely with those who have lost loved ones to COVID and this initiative is to remember those who have died during the pandemic. “

    Why is the red ribbon used to remember World AIDS Day

    red ribbon is linked with AIDS not the bbc's Tree Of Lives
    Photo by Anna Shvets / PEXELS

    The Red Ribbon symbol has become the defining icon for the awareness, fundraising and determination to beat HIV and AIDS. It’s strong, vibrant red, a symbol that has become synonymous with every 1st December, was designed in 1991.

    A decade after AIDS began its stranglehold, decimating communities, a coalition of 12 artists gathered to devise a plan to raise awareness for Visual Aids, a New York arts organisation which raises awareness of HIV.

    The 12 people consisted of photographers, painters, filmmakers and costume designers. After a short collaboration they came up with the striking, but the simple idea of the red ribbon, inspired by the yellow ribbons tied on trees at the time, to denote support for US military fighting in the Gulf war.

    The red ribbon logo became recognisable across the globe.

    THEGAYUK.com reached out to the BBC for further comment.

  • BBC Radio 1 commits to not playing Fairytale of New York with THE homophobic slur

    BBC Radio 1 commits to not playing Fairytale of New York with THE homophobic slur

    The BBC has announced that it will play an edited version of the Christmas classic, The Fairytale Of New York.

    Without fail the song, which was first released in 1987 has caused an uproar every year in recent memory when it is played, in full, on radios in the UK, come to December-time.

    The song has long offended many people in the gay community and finally, the BBC has said it will play an edit of the song which does not contain the slur “Faggot” on its youth-orientated radio station, Radio 1.

    It will, however, continue to play the original version complete with the problematic lyric on its other mainstream radio station, Radio 2. DJs on 6 Music, will be able to choose from both versions.

    Fairytale Of New York will have its homophobic lyric removed by BBC Radio 1

    On Radio 1 DJs will instead play an edited version, with a different lyric sung by one of the song’s singers, Kirsty MacColl, the corporation said. The addition lyric was sung by MacColl on Top Of The Pops in 1992, eight years before her death at the age of 41.

    A BBC spokesman said, “We know the song is considered a Christmas classic and we will continue to play it this year, with our radio stations choosing the version of the song most relevant for their audience.”

    This isn’t the first time that Radio 1 has used an edited version of the song. In 2007, the station censored the offending word, but soon reinstated it after a public backlash. So it will be interesting to see if a similar backlash happens in 2020.

    What’s the problem with “Fairytale of New York”?

    The problem with “Fairytale of New York” is the line, “You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot.”

    Some in the LGBT+ community find the word offensives, while others don’t.

    The one key element is that songs that contain other offensives slurs often use edited versions, which either bleep out a slur or have another word dubbed in. Up until now, the original version of Fairytale Of New York did not have an edit to play.

    Last year, there were hundreds of complaints after Gavin and Stacey characters Nessa and Bryn sung the unedited version in a Christmas special broadcast on the BBC.

    In 2018 the song was crowned the nation’s favourite Christmas song.

  • BBC could face legal action over pride attendance warning for staffers

    BBC could face legal action over pride attendance warning for staffers

    QC Jo Maugham, director of the Good Law Project has said that they believe that the BBC’s conduct is “unlawful and discriminatory” after a backlash over its policies and guidelines on what events some of its staff members can and cannot attend, with or without permission from the corporation.

    Guidelines published on Thursday said BBC News and current affairs employees shouldn’t attend marches about “controversial issues”.

    https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1322107275897655296

    Maugham stated that the GLP had “instructed leading and junior Counsel and intend to send a formal pre-action protocol letter”

    The Good Law Project has also asked to hear from LGBT+ employees and people who are from Black and Ethnic minorities of the corporation who would like to join their challenge.

    https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1322107726336581632
    https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1322118608647061505

    The BBC’s Director General, Tim Davie, who was once a councillor for the Conservative Party in Hammersmith in 1993 and 1994, was keen to stress that BBC staffers were allowed to attend prides saying that attending Pride events and said that attending a parade was possible while staying inside the guidelines, but “due care needs to be given to the guidance and staff need to ensure that they are not seen to be taking a stand on politicised or contested issues”.

  • The BBC’s Director General seeks to calm fears over staff Pride ban

    The BBC’s Director General seeks to calm fears over staff Pride ban

    The BBC’s Director General, Tim Davie stated that staff members, particularly news and current affairs staff that they should be “mindful” if they are attending events that could be “deemed political or controversial”.

    Davie then made it clear that there was no ban on attending Pride events and said that attending a parade was possible while staying inside the guidelines, but “due care needs to be given to the guidance and staff need to ensure that they are not seen to be taking a stand on politicised or contested issues”.

    What is all the controversy about?

    i news reported that impartiality policies drawn up by the broadcaster included a section where certain staff members who work for news and current affairs and factual journalism could face disciplinary action if they attended events or rallies if those events are deemed too political.

    This is because the BBC expects its staff to remain politically neutral, any breach of that guideline could see staffers face disciplinary action.

    According to the i the broadcaster’s, director of editorial policy and standards, David Jordan, told senior executives on Wednesday that the new policy includes not attending “political protests”, such as Black Lives Matter events and LGBT protests.

    The paper states that according to sources who work for the BBC, this was to ensure that BBC staffers attending Pride events would not get embroiled in the “the debate around transgender rights”, according to the i.

    The paper’s reporter Benjamin Butterworth broke the story on Twitter.

    According to the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality, the issue is a little more nuanced than at first glance of the i’s story. The guidelines state,

    “People working in news and current affairs and factual journalism (across all Divisions), as set out in the Guidelines, should not participate in public demonstrations or gatherings about controversial issues.

    “As with social media activity, judgement is required as to what issues are “controversial” with regard to marches or demonstrations, though it should be assumed that most marches are contentious to some degree or other. If in doubt, advice should be sought before attending”.

    Missing the point

    QC Jo Maugham Director of the Good Law Project, who have stated that they think the BBC’s position is “unlawful” said, “I am afraid that this, from Tim Davie, completely misses the point. When he says there are issues for some staff he is saying, in effect, that it breaches impartiality rules to oppose racism, homophobia or transphobia. And we think that’s just wrong.”

    https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1322151703924346881

    Lord Michael Cashman reacted to the DG’s statement by saying that it “has many holes in it”, adding, “It could be argued Pride, Black Lives Matter, against bloodsports are ‘political’. Legally challengeable, in my opinion. We will be watching this and the new ‘tenants’ at the BBC very carefully.”

    Read the entire email to staff from Tim Davie here:

    Impartiality guidance: Pride

    Dear all,

    Thank you for your support in rolling out the editorial guidance on impartiality yesterday. This new guidance, and the rules around social media activity, are significant steps in renewing our commitment to impartiality and securing the trust our audience have in us.

    There is one specific issue where I want to make sure that there is no room for misinterpretation, following inaccurate commentary and some feedback from staff – which is the ability to participate in Pride parades. There is no ban on attending Pride parades.

    The guidance that we published yesterday made it very clear that staff outside of news and current affairs and factual journalism may attend marches, demonstrations and protests as private individuals. I have copied below the relevant extract of the guidance for reference.

    There are different considerations for staff who work in news and current affairs and factual journalism (and senior leaders) but I want to be clear that there is no issue for these staff attending community events that are clearly celebratory or commemorative and do not compromise perceptions of their impartiality.

    If news and current affairs staff are participating in such events they must be mindful of ensuring that they do not get involved in matters which could be deemed political or controversial. There is no ban on these staff attending Pride events. Attending Pride parades is possible within the guidelines, but due care needs to be given to the guidance and staff need to ensure that they are not seen to be taking a stand on politicised or contested issues.

    Protecting the BBC’s impartiality is core to everything we do. We must ensure that we avoid doing anything that endangers audience perceptions of the BBC’s impartiality and to protect the ability of staff in news and current affairs to report fairly and impartially.

    Do drop me a line if you have any questions about this, or speak to your manager.

    Best wishes,

    Tim

    Tim Davie
    Director-General

  • BBC causes outrage after reports that staff are “banned” from attending Pride events under new guidelines

    BBC causes outrage after reports that staff are “banned” from attending Pride events under new guidelines

    The BBC has faced a huge backlash online after it was reported that some staff who attend events such as Pride, could face disciplinary action, including being suspended.

    i news reported that impartiality policies drawn up by the broadcaster included a section where certain staff members who work for news and current affairs and factual journalism are effectively banned from attending events such as Pride or Black Lives Matter rallies if those events are deemed too political.

    This is because the BBC expects its staff to remain politically neutral, any breach of that guideline could see staffers face disciplinary action.

    According to the i the broadcaster’s, director of editorial policy and standards, David Jordan, told senior executives on Wednesday that the new policy includes not attending “political protests”, such as Black Lives Matter events and LGBT protests.

    The paper states that according to sources who work for the BBC, this was to ensure that BBC staffers attending Pride events would not get embroiled in the “the debate around transgender rights”, according to the i.

    The paper’s reporter Benjamin Butterworth broke the story on Twitter.

    According to the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality, the issue is a little more nuanced than at first glance of the i’s story. The guidelines state,

    “People working in news and current affairs and factual journalism (across all Divisions), as set out in the Guidelines, should not participate in public demonstrations or gatherings about controversial issues.

    “As with social media activity, judgement is required as to what issues are “controversial” with regard to marches or demonstrations, though it should be assumed that most marches are contentious to some degree or other. If in doubt, advice should be sought before attending”.

    Social media reacts

    As of this morning (30th October), there have been over 117,000 tweets which include “The BBC” and “Pride is also trending on the platform.

    Social media exploded in criticism of the policy, with many people vowing to cancel their TV licenses or write to the corporation to make a complaint.

    Matthew Hodson, the Exec. Director of AIDS Map wrote,

    “‘I’m always banging on that the LGBTQ+ rights we now enjoy, the rights we fought for, can be taken away. This is what that process looks.”

    Lord Michael Cashman, former EastEnders star said that he would pursue the ban with “vigour and utter determination” if the BBC hadn’t issued “a full, frank and specific rebuttal” of the reports.

    https://twitter.com/mcashmanCBE/status/1321926176420626432

    Whistleblower, Chris Whiley wrote, “What is wrong with the BBC? My identity is not a partisan affiliation. My identity is not up for debate. Being LGBTQ is a protected status under the Equality Act 2010, which our public broadcaster must uphold. This is beyond absurd.

    Actor David Paisley who currently stars in a BBC programme hit out at the policy saying,

    “The BBC’s new social media guidance says that the “use of emojis can – accidentally, or deliberately – undercut an otherwise impartial post”

    THEGAYUK reached out to the BBC press office for comment.

    *This story has been updated to add a quote from the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality.

  • Strictly Come Dancing announces its first same-sex dancing couple

    Strictly Come Dancing announces its first same-sex dancing couple

    Despite calls for years, it’s taken the BBC until 2020 to introduce its first-ever same-sex couple to the very popular reality show, Strictly Come Dancing. The contestant who gets to be in the very first same-sex coupling is Boxing champ, Nicola Adams, who is openly bisexual.

    However Strictly isn’t the first prime-time entertainment show to introduce a same-sex coupling, last year that honour fell to Dancing On Ice when Steps’ singer “H” was paired with Matt Evers.

    It’s not yet known who Nicola will be paired up with on the show which starts in mid-October.

    “I’m a huge fan of the show”

    Speaking about her history-making appearance on the show, Nicola said,

    I’m really excited to be joining this year’s incredible line-up for Strictly Come Dancing. I’m a huge fan of the show and am thrilled to be part of something that holds such a special place in so many people’s hearts.

    “People might know me from work in the ring, but I’ll be every bit as passionate and dedicated on the dance-floor too. I also wanted to thank the BBC for supporting me and making me the first ever all female-pairing; and it’s amazing to be a part of the movement for change, diversity and breaking boundaries in the entertainment industry.”

    Ticking boxes

    Of course, when the announcement was made, some people couldn’t hold back their fury over the involvement over the same-sex coupling, with many claiming that the casting of Nicola was down to “ticking their diversity boxes”.

    One person slammed the casting saying, “I won’t be watching! Normally do but won’t this year.”

    https://twitter.com/JoKirkbright/status/1301125817699913730

    Another said that the BBC was “pandering to the woke generation”,

    However the were many positive comments as well, with the BBC being praised for upping LGBT+ representation.

  • Serial killer Stephen Port to immortalized in a TV drama

    Serial killer Stephen Port to immortalized in a TV drama

    Apparently, the BBC is planning a TV show about the brutal murders by convicted serial killer Stephen Port.

    Stephen Port

    Filming for a documentary drama, called The Barking Murders surrounding the killer Stephen Port, who brutally raped and murdered four men between June 2014 and September 2015 is due to begin in the spring. Dubbed in the press as the Grindr Killer, Port used dating apps and websites to lure his victims. In 2016 the 41-year-old was also found guilty of 10 offences of administering a substance with intent, four rapes and four sexual assaults.

    According to the BBC, the award-winning team behind The Moorside and Appropriate Adult, the new factual drama will go beneath the headlines to shed new light on this story by telling it from the point of view of the families of Stephen Port’s victims, focusing on their fight to uncover the truth about what had happened to their lost sons and brothers in the face of a now widely-criticised police investigation.

    Port was found guilty of the murders of Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21 and Jack Taylor, 25. Their bodies were dumped in or near a graveyard in Barking. The graveyard was 500 meters away from his flat in east London.

    The new film has Stephen Merchant in the role of Port.

    “This story can’t be ignored”

    On joining the cast, Stephen Merchant said, “This is a story that can’t be ignored – how four young lives were lost and their families’ brave attempt to uncover what happened. This factual drama will shed light on their story, so it’s a privilege to be a part of telling it with the brilliant combination of Jeff Pope, Neil McKay and the BBC.”

    He’ll be joined by Sheridan Smith who added, “‘I love playing real-life characters – especially an inspirational woman like Sarah Sak (the mother of Anthony Walgate) – but with it comes responsibility. Along with the other families, Sarah went through so much heartache and it would have been easy for her to just accept what she was being told by the police, but something inside made her keep fighting for her son.”

  • How many episodes are there of The Greatest Dancer?

    How many episodes are there of The Greatest Dancer?

    The Greatest Dancer is the BBC’s flagship dance reality TV show for January / Feb 2019, but how many episodes are there?

    How many episodes are there of The Greatest Dancer?

    The Greatest Dancer on BBC One has just eight episodes to it, which makes it a baby in terms of episode numbers compared to some of the other reality juggernauts, like the X Factor or I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.

    It is presented by Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo and the dancers are judged by former Glee star, Matthew Morrison, former Girls Aloud singer, Cheryl (formerly Cole) and professional dancer and choreographer Oti Mabuse. It has not been the ratings smash that the BBC were perhaps hoping for, managing to gain a series average of around 3.3 million viewers which is roughly the same as Casualty, the Beeb’s medical drama soap.

    Will there be another series of The Greatest Dancer?

    The BBC has not yet announced whether it will commission another series of the Simon Cowell created show. The show is the first show ever created by Simon for the BBC as he normally works with ITV.

    However, it is worth noting that the BBC always has a big reality format show in the January / February weekend evening slot. Before The Greatest Dancer, it was the broadcaster of The Voice before it jumped channels and landed on ITV.

    What does the winner get on The Greatest Dancer?

    The eventual winner will win £50,000 and a chance to perform on the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Doctor Who introduces a gay character and kills him off in 30 seconds

    Doctor Who introduces a gay character and kills him off in 30 seconds

    The BBC show, Doctor Who managed to kill off a gay character in record time.

    (C) BBC

    On New Year’s Day fans of the Sci-fi drama Doctor Who were treated to a brand new LGBT+ character, named Richard, however his fate was sealed the moment he appeared on the screen and he died within 30 seconds.

    Actor Connor Calland who played the character named “Richard” in the credits had just a few lines before his character was killed off just seconds after revealing that he had a boyfriend, with a strange sexualised revelation about his “secure digits”.

    He said, “Today, just me. Most secure digits in Yorkshire. That’s what I tell my boyfriend, anyway. I probably shouldn’t be telling you that, I’m new at this.”

    “Richard” was a minor character who was interacting with a Dalek-controlled Lin who was attempting to gain access to a building.

    The actor himself quipped about the brevity of his scene, but added “Small steps, big moves! Bring on 2019”.

    https://twitter.com/connorcalland/status/1080127709559300096

    Killing off the gays

    Twitter users were quick to point out that Doctor Who had a disturbing history of killing off its LGBT+ characters. PinkNews reports One user noticed, “Am I the only that has noticed if you are openly gay in this series of #DoctorWho, you are gonna be dead within ten minutes? The security guard tonight, Frankie in Arachnids and Alfonso in Witchfind”.

  • Two gay men appear in BBC top paid talent, no other LGBT representation

    BBC has released its top earners and two gay men are featured in the top 10. The top-earning lesbian doesn’t feature.

    The BBC’s gender pay gap has been released and shows that the top 12 earners are all still men, with Graham Norton (up to £609,000) and Nick Grimshaw (up to £409,000) featuring in the top 10. Further down the list of the top 22 earners include two other openly gay men, Scott Mills (up to £289,000) and Evan Davis (up to £259,000)

    There are no out women or trans people in the top 20. The highest paid LGB woman is Clare Balding who is now reported to be earing up to £189,000. Last year the BBC reported that she was earning up between £150,000 and £199,000.

    The list released by the BBC features talent and staff who are paid directly by the BBC and earn over £150,000.

    Norton’s wage was reduced from up to £899,000 in this new list, while Nick Grimshaw’s wage has actually increased from up to £399,000.

    Last year the BBC used multiples of £50,000 to denote its staff’s salary rather than give accurate figures, this year that has been deceased to multiples of £10,000.