BBC forced to issue another apology and remove content just days after BAFTA row

The BBC has been forced to remove an article from its website, admitting it didn't "provide sufficient context" for the story, which ran just a day after they broadcast a racist slur inadvertently shouted by Tourette's syndrome sufferer John Davidson at the BAFTAs. It was later forced to edit it out of the show on BBC iPlayer.

Issuing a notification on the Corrections and Clarifications section of its website, the broadcaster posted the details of the error which appeared on BBC News Online, South. Explaining why it had been removed, the BBC wrote: "We posted an online article about a gay man who said he felt unable to access gambling addiction services and some research into others who felt similar. The article did not meet our editorial standards. It included the man’s criminal offending but did not provide sufficient context or take account of the likely impact on victims of his contribution. We have removed the article from the website."

The dates referenced indicate it removed the article on the same day it was posted on Monday February 23.

While the BBC didn't specify how many complaints it had received, in order for a clarification or apology to be published publicly they need to have received at least 100.

This is the seventh clarification it has been forced to post so far this year. One of its most extensive apologies on the site relates to coverage of Holocaust Memorial Day on Radio 4 Today bulletins, BBC Breakfast and the BBC News Channel.

It acknowledged: "During widespread there were some instances where we said 'six million people' or 'six million mostly Jewish people' had been murdered by the Nazi regime. These were incorrectly worded for which we apologise. They should have referred to 'six million Jewish people'."

While the BAFTA incident isn't on the website, it has led to an international scandal which has seen both BBC and BAFTA forced to apologise. The slur was inadvertently shouted by Tourette's syndrome sufferer and advocate John Davidson, while Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for best visual effects at the BAFTAs on Sunday night, February 22.

A senior BBC executive has since apologised to staff, saying the corporation understands "how distressing” it was that the slur was not edited out of the broadcast.

Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips said: "I wanted to write to you following Sunday’s Bafta Film Awards. I’m so sorry that a racial slur was not edited out of our broadcast. We understand how distressing this was. Award attendees were pre-warned about the possibility of involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette Syndrome at the start of the show, and Alan Cumming addressed it during the broadcast. Of course, this doesn’t lessen the impact and upset.

"The edit team removed another racial slur from the broadcast. This one was aired in error, and we would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast. We take full responsibility for what happened. When I was made aware it was audible on iPlayer, I asked for it to be taken down. As I’m sure you’re aware, we put out a statement yesterday morning apologising that the remark was not edited out prior to broadcast.

"I wrote to our Embrace network colleagues yesterday and am grateful for their thoughtful responses to me. Please know that you can reach out to me or to any member of our ExCo team if you’d like to talk further about this. Again, I am so very sorry for the distress caused.”