BBC criticised for censoring Pogues classic
Kirsty MacColl's mother has described BBC Radio 1's decision to edit the words of the singer's famous Christmas hit 'Fairytale of New York' as "ridiculous".
The station opted to edit the line beginning "You scumbag, you maggot...", leaving out the word "faggot" at the end.
A BBC statement said: "Radio 1 are playing an edited version of the 'Fairytale of New York' that does not include the world 'faggot' as this is a word that members of our audience would find offensive."
A spokesperson said that the word was "faded down" on air, rather than bleeped out completely.
However, the mother of the late Kirsty MacColl, who recorded the original version of the song with The Pogues, has criticised this decision.
Referring to the song, Jean MacColl said: "These are a couple of characters. Today we have a lot of a gratuitous vulgarity and... whatever from people all over which I think is quite unnecessary. These are characters and they speak like that."
"It's absolute nonsense. Really, this is too ridiculous. Shane [MacGowan, The Pogues singer] has written the most beautiful song and these characters live, they really live, and you have such sympathy for them."
She continued: "These are a couple of characters who are not in the first flush of youth, I wouldn't have thought. They are what they are, this is the way they speak."
A spokesperson for The Pogues said: "It strikes me as very odd and I'm sure the band will be very amused."
Listen to a special programme on The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' here.
