Ex-BBC presenter launches furious tirade on broadcaster after airing ‘awful’ Bob Vylan performance: ‘Worst thing I’ve ever seen!’
Former BBC presenter and DJ Alex Dyke has expressed his “outrage” at the broadcaster after airing rap duo Bob Vylan’s performance at Glastonbury Festival.
The act sparked widespread controversy after prompting the crowd to chant “death to the IDF” during their performance.
Although the BBC displayed an on-screen warning, the performance was still broadcast live to viewers.
Delivering his scathing verdict on the decision, Dyke told GB News that it is the “worst thing he has ever seen” the BBC do.
Dyke fumed: “I’m absolutely outraged. I don’t think I’ve ever really been outraged in my life before by anything the media have ever done, I’ve been slightly annoyed by things, but the hate at Glastonbury…
“Music festivals are meant to be peace-loving, but we know that there’s politics at Glastonbury because Jeremy Corbyn was there in on stage in 2017 and there yesterday as well.”
In a direct criticism of the BBC, Dyke asked: “Where was the delay system? Why was this broadcast? Why did somebody not pull the plug, either the broadcaster or someone on the soundboard at Glastonbury?
“I think this is awful, and we are now giving them the oxygen of publicity by talking about them.”
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Calling on Bob Vylan’s record label to also take action, Dyke urged both companies to “ban” the act entirely. He said: “Their record company need to drop them, the BBC need to ban them from everything they do on Radio 1 and Radio 1 Extra.
“The BBC now, the punishment to Bob Vylan should be to pull the plug on it now. They should just say that’s it, this idiot has ruined it for everyone, we’re not putting it on the iPlayer. You’re not going to see it because someone needs to set an example, because where is this going to end?”
Asked by host Ben Leo what should happen to the BBC as a result of the incident, Dyke admitted the broadcaster will “most likely walk away” from any consequences.
He told GB News: “There’s no point fining the BBC, because it’s people like you and me who pay the fine. And Ofcom won’t throw the book at the BBC because the BBC have to go through their own diligence and internal complaints process before Ofcom will get involved in this.
“So once again, I think the BBC will walk away from this, but I don’t think they should. I think this is the worst thing I think I’ve ever seen. People in Britain are not on the side of the BBC and I think someone’s head should roll for this.”
In response to the broadcast, a BBC spokesman said: “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive.
“During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.”
Glastonbury Festival has said it is “appalled” by the actions.
In a statement, as spokesman said: “Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”