BBC Edits Beckham Joke
BBC Edits Victoria Beckham Joke After Upholding Viewer Complaints
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Key Points
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After Ryan’s remark drew an audible reaction from the studio audience, she quickly added, “I like her really, I didn’t expect that reaction.”
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The ECU’s decision reversed the BBC’s earlier position: in November, it had told complainants that the strong language was justified because the panel was discussing David Beckham’s alleged leaked email and the resulting news story.
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The ruling was reported to BBC Content management, and the ECU said its guidelines do not require programmes to avoid offence outright, but do require any offence to be editorially justified.
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The ruling came amid a separate BBC editing controversy: the corporation had also removed as many as 11 blackface sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look before restoring the series to iPlayer.
The BBC removed a joke from a November 2025 episode of *Have I Got News for You* after its Executive Complaints Unit upheld viewer objections. Comedian Katherine Ryan had compared Victoria Beckham to a crude term on the show. BBC ruled the reference was not editorially justified, even though the same word appeared elsewhere in the episode in different context.
The decision reverses the BBC's initial stance. In November, the broadcaster told complainants the strong language was acceptable because panelists were discussing an alleged leaked email from David Beckham. Producer Jimmy Mulville criticized the ruling, calling it wasteful and arguing the term carries positive meaning in queer and ballroom cultures.
What Katherine Ryan Actually Said on Air
During the November 7 episode, Ryan made a joke comparing Victoria Beckham to a C-word. The studio audience reacted audibly to the remark. Ryan quickly added, "I like her really, I didn't expect that reaction." Tyla reported that viewers complained about the comment, triggering the complaints investigation.
The ECU Upheld Some Complaints But Not Others
The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit made a narrow ruling. It said Ryan's Victoria Beckham joke was not editorially justified and ordered it removed from iPlayer. However, the unit found that discussion of the same word in David Beckham's allegedly leaked email was justified by context. The Independent noted the ECU clarified that BBC guidelines do not require programs to avoid offence, only to justify any offence that occurs.
Mulville Defends the Joke and Criticizes the Ruling
Producer Jimmy Mulville pushed back hard on the decision. He said the investigation was a waste of licence-fee money and that the ECU had misunderstood Ryan's intent. Mulville argued the term can be reclaimed in queer and ballroom culture as praise for someone's confidence and style. Yahoo News reported that Katherine Ryan herself defended her affection for Lady Victoria Beckham in response.
Part of Wider BBC Editing Disputes
This ruling sits within a bigger pattern of BBC content decisions. The corporation also removed roughly 11 blackface sketches from *That Mitchell and Webb Look* before later restoring the series to iPlayer. These edits have sparked debate over how broadcasters balance offensive content with editorial freedom and cultural context.
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