Complaint
In an interview with the former Labour MP Brian Wilson reference was made by the presenter to the historic sexual abuse of young players at Celtic Boys Club. A viewer complained there was a risk viewers would understand there to be a link between unrelated cases of sexual abuse, and that Celtic fans could be unfairly subjected to hostility from supporters of rival teams for events with which they were not involved. The ECU considered whether the broadcast met the standards of impartiality set out in the BBC Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The interview was primarily about Lord Mandelson’s association with Jeffrey Epstein and the implications for Labour and the Prime Minister. Mr Wilson was interviewed as a former Labour MP and someone who had worked closely with Lord Mandelson in the past. In the ECU’s view the presenter was entitled to broaden the conversation to the wider issue of victims and justice and cite the case of Celtic Boys Club as a high-profile example in Scotland. The ECU noted Mr Wilson was interim chairman of Celtic FC at the time of the interview and has served on the board for more than two decades. There was no suggestion of any association between the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and the abuse at Celtic Boys Club, merely that both were examples where evidence from victims was initially disregarded. The extent to which a programme such as The Sunday Show could be held responsible for the behaviour of football supporters was also, in the ECU’s view, extremely limited.
Not Upheld