BBC apologises for ‘high risk' Bob Vylan's Glastonbury performance: ‘Offensive and deplorable'
Bob Vylan recently came into the spotlight after frontman Bobby Vylan led a crowd at the festival to chant 'death, death' to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran.
On Thursday, BBC director-general Tim Davie addressed the controversy in an internal memo to staff members.
'I deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behaviour appeared on the BBC and want to say sorry – to our audience and to all of you, but in particular to Jewish colleagues and the Jewish community,' he said, per Variety.
Due to the incident, several key changes have been made by the broadcaster to its live streaming protocols for music events.
The British rap punk duo has now been classified as 'high risk' after a risk assessment process was applied to all the acts at the Glastonbury Festival. In total, seven performers have been added to this category.
The acts have been deemed suitable for live streaming with 'appropriate mitigations.'
Acknowledging failures in the compliance process, the BBC statement noted that prior to the festival, they made a decision to mitigate compliance risks in real time on the live stream, via the use of language or content warnings. However, it was 'clearly not the case,' it added.
During the performance, livestreaming was being monitored based on the agreed protocols, as warnings appeared twice on the stream. The editorial team decided not to cut the feed even after escalated concerns. BBC has now termed it as 'an error.'
After getting informed about the incident, Davie, who was present at the festival as part of visiting BBC staff, immediately asked the teams to prevent the performance from getting aired in further coverage.
The performance was removed from BBC iPlayer and Sounds, but the live feed was active until 8 PM (local time), according to reports.
BBC chair Samir Shah has also issued a statement and apologised to viewers and listeners, especially the Jewish community, for allowing 'Bob Vylan to express unconscionable antisemitic views live on the BBC.' FAQs: 1. What action has been taken against Bob Vylan?
The group is being investigated by police in connection with the matter. 2. How did the US respond to Bob Vylan's controversial performance?
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau earlier said that the US State Department has "revoked" visas for Bob Vylan members for their "hateful tirade at Glastonbury". 3. What is IDF?
The Israel Defense Forces, established in 1948, refers to the armed forces of Israel. It comprises the army, navy, and air force.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
Who was Kenneth Colley? 'Star Wars' actor who played Admiral Piett dies at 87
Kenneth Colley, the British actor best known for his role as Admiral Firmus Piett in the original Star Wars trilogy, has died. He was 87. Colley passed away on June 30 at his home in England after contracting Covid-19, which developed into pneumonia, multiple reports stated. The BBC noted he had initially been hospitalized with an injured arm following a fall. Born on December 7, 1937, in Manchester, Lancashire, Colley built a prolific career across film, television, and stage. He first appeared in numerous British television series including The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Special Branch, The Sweeney, and Pennies from Heaven. In 1980, Colley joined the Star Wars franchise as Admiral Piett, an Imperial officer aboard Darth Vader's flagship in The Empire Strikes Back. He reprised the role in 1983's Return of the Jedi, sharing the screen with Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, and the late Carrie Fisher. Decades later, he voiced the same character in the 2012 animated film Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out. Beyond Star Wars, Colley earned acclaim for portraying Jesus in the 1979 comedy Monty Python's Life of Brian, where he appeared alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and Michael Palin. His film credits also included Clint Eastwood's Firefox, Ken Russell's The Rainbow, Aki Kaurismäki's I Hired a Contract Killer, and the World War II miniseries War and Remembrance. In 2007, he directed the horror movie Greetings, starring Kirsty Cox, Henry Dunn, and Ben Shockley. On stage, Colley considered his most cherished role to be Estragon in Beckett's Waiting for Godot, which he performed at London's Cockpit Theatre in 2014. A statement from Colley's agent reflected on his wide-ranging career and passion for performance: 'Ken's favourite part was playing Estragon in the stage production of Beckett's classic Waiting for Godot.'
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand releases wine Napa rosé, but British fans can't order it yet
British royal watchers hoping to get a taste of Meghan Markle's new rosé were left disappointed today - the wine is only available in the US. The Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle brand, As Ever, officially launched its debut wine offering - a 2023 Napa Valley rosé - on Monday, reports GB News. While the product was released at 4 pm BST, shoppers in the UK quickly realised they couldn't place any orders. Priced at around £24 per bottle, the wine is being sold exclusively in the United States through the brand's newly launched American website. According to GB News, As Ever has no immediate plans to ship to the UK. A source told the outlet that Meghan is aware of the global demand and will be 'assessing' international shipping as the brand grows. For now, however, British consumers are left waiting. The timing of the release only added to the frustration. By the time UK fans saw the Instagram announcement, the US-only restriction was already in place. The brand has not provided a timeline for when - or if - UK deliveries might be possible. The new wine is described as a dry, Provençal-style rosé made from a custom blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah grapes. With an alcohol content of 14.5 per cent, it's meant to evoke 'sun-drenched weekends and summer laughter,' according to the brand's marketing. Shoppers can't buy just one bottle either. The wine is only available in bundles: a three-pack for $90 (around £72), a half-case for $160 (£127), or a full case for $300 (£240). As Ever promoted the launch with a minimal Instagram post featuring the wine in an ice bucket. The caption kept things simple: 'Just in time for summer.' This marks the brand's third product release since launching in April. The previous two products sold out within minutes. Meghan reportedly worked closely on this particular wine, curating what As Ever describes as a 'bespoke blend.' The Napa rosé is just the beginning. The company says it's planning a Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine next, with more varietals on the way. The wine is available only in the US through UK customers currently cannot place orders. A single bottle is about £24, but must be purchased in sets of 3, 6, or 12. The rosé features a proprietary mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah.
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Violence, Maggots In Food: Sean 'Diddy' Combs Did Not Want To Go Back To This Jail
New York: Despite being found not guilty on the most serious counts at his sex trafficking trial, Sean "Diddy" Combs will spend months awaiting sentencing at a notoriously understaffed and violent Brooklyn jail where the music mogul has lived through nearly ten months of lockdowns and fights. Combs, 55, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center since his September 2024 arrest. The facility, which has also held convicted sex traffickers like British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and rhythm and blues singer R. Kelly, is a far cry from the luxurious Los Angeles and Miami mansions Combs called home until last year. After the verdict was read on Wednesday, Combs' lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian to release him on $1 million bond ahead of his sentencing, expected to take place by October. "I understand that you don't, that Mr. Combs does not want to go back to the MDC," the judge said. Combs shook his head. His hopes of returning to one of those homes and the embrace of his family after being cleared of the more serious charges were soon dashed. The judge denied Combs' request for bail, citing evidence of his violent behavior presented during the trial. In recent years, MDC has been plagued by persistent staffing shortages, power outages and maggots in inmates' food. Two weeks after Combs' arrest, prosecutors announced criminal charges against nine MDC inmates for crimes including assault, attempted murder and murder at the facility in the months before Combs arrived. In January of last year, a federal judge in Manhattan declined to order a man charged with drug crimes detained pending trial at the MDC, calling the conditions there an "ongoing tragedy." Last August, another judge said he would convert an older defendant's nine-month jail term to home incarceration if he were sent to MDC, citing the jail's "dangerous, barbaric conditions." The U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which operates MDC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The bureau has said it takes its duty to protect inmates seriously. During the eight-week trial, U.S. Marshals transported Combs to and from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan each day from the facility in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood, which has also housed former cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried and Luigi Mangione, accused of killing a health insurance executive. Bankman-Fried has since been moved to a low-security prison in California and is appealing his fraud conviction and 25-year sentence. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. A jury found Combs not guilty on Wednesday on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, sparing him a potential life sentence, but convicted him on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution that could land him in prison for several years. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. Combs' defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in court on Wednesday that Combs had been housed in "a very difficult part of the MDC" where there have been fights. His lawyer Alexandra Shapiro said in a November 2024 court filing that frequent lockdowns at the facility had impaired Combs' ability to prepare for trial. On Wednesday, Combs' lawyers praised MDC staff, who they said had facilitated their access to him during the trial. "Despite the terrible conditions at the MDC, I want to thank the good people who work there," defense lawyer Teny Geragos told reporters after the verdict.
