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Source (Paywall): BBC comedy shows have been told to book more Right-wing guests
Story (copy and pasted from paywall because paywalls don't work if you're quick enough)
Story (copy and pasted from paywall because paywalls don't work if you're quick enough)
Jump to navigationBBC comedy shows have been told to book more Right-wing guests
The director general has signalled that shows must feature 'a broader range of voices' to counter perceived bias in comedy output
ByBill Gardner12 March 2021 • 9:00pm
BBC comedy shows have been told to book more Right-wing guests after bosses cancelled a satirical programme accused of peddling “Left-wing propaganda”.
Tim Davie, the director general, has signalled that shows must feature “a broader range of voices” to counter perceived bias in the BBC’s comedy output.
It comes after the BBC announced the cancellation of The Mash Report, the BBC 2 satirical show repeatedly accused of being too one-sided against Brexit and the Conservative government.
Hosted by the comedian Nish Kumar, the show was once accused by the former BBC presenter Andrew Neil of being “self-satisfied, self-adulatory, unchallenged Left-wing propaganda”.
The BBC said it had needed "to make difficult decisions" in order "to make room for new comedy shows".
Since his appointment last September, Mr Davie has set out plans to restore trust in the BBC by ridding the corporation of a metropolitan and London-centric view of the world.
Comedy shows will be expected to book guests from across the political divide, a senior BBC source told The Telegraph.
“There’s nothing wrong with poking fun at the Government. They’re the ones in charge," the source said.
"But we also need to make sure we have a broad range of voices on the BBC. If you're doing the right sort of bookings, you can get the range of perspectives that we need.
“The key point, however, is that comedy shows need to be funny."
Other BBC shows previously accused of being biased against the Tories and Brexit include the Now Show and the News Quiz on Radio 4.
There is no immediate threat to their future but makers of all BBC comedy shows will be expected to book guests with diverse views. “No show lasts forever,” one BBC insider warned.
The BBC’s decision to cancel The Mash Report came after repeated accusations that the programme hosted by Nish Kumar and featuring Rachel Parris was openly biased against the Tories and Brexit.
Mr Kumar once told a Guardian interviewer that he was “absolutely guilty of the accusation levelled at me by furious people on the internet in that I have not got over Brexit.” In 2019, Kumar was booed off stage for making anti-Brexit jokes at a charity event held by the Lord’s Taverners.
Responding to the news of the cancellation on Thursday, Mr Kumar posted a picture of himself pointing at a message reading: “Boris Johnson is a liar and a racist.”
Supporters pointed out, however, that the show had given a platform to young comedians and regularly featured Right-wing comics including the stand up Geoff Norcott.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We are very proud of The Mash Report but in order to make room for new comedy shows we sometimes have to make difficult decisions, and it won’t be returning.
“We would like to thank all those involved in four brilliant series and hope to work with Nish Kumar, Rachel Parris and the team in the future.”
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