Paper suggested BBC was ‘racist’ because two Holby City scriptwriting roles were open only to people from ethnic minorities

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The BBC has hit out at a front-page Sun story headlined “Auntie is anti-white” as “utterly ridiculous and irresponsible”.

The article suggested the BBC was “racist” because it advertised two £25,000 junior scriptwriting roles on BBC1’s Holby City as available only to people from “ethnic minority backgrounds”.

The BBC said the roles were not jobs but “training and development opportunities” and it said given the lack of diversity in the TV industry it was the “right thing to do”.

BBC says Sun attacks on Top Gear's Chris Evans are 'unfounded nonsense' Read more

The Rupert Murdoch tabloid said the corporation was running four recruitment schemes open only to black, Asian or ethnic minority applicants.

It said the BBC had recruited 17 presenters and 10 writers in two years via the various schemes, including the Creative Diversity Talent Fund.

In a BBC statement issued in response to the story in the Sun’s Friday edition, the BBC said: “As the Sun knows and has ignored, these are not jobs but training and development opportunities permitted under the Equality Act and to describe this as anti-white is utterly ridiculous and irresponsible.

“As we have under-representation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds in script editing roles at the BBC it’s the right thing to do.”

WayneDavid (@WayneDavid81) The @bbcpress response to the very misleading and irresponsible Sun headline is simple but brilliant. pic.twitter.com/ALyvMXQg0P

In its response to the Sun, the BBC said the trainees were paid an allowance rather than a salary as part of a programme to address “an under-representation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds in script editing roles”.

The BBC has come under fire for its lack of diversity, both on and off screen, and faced calls by actor and comedian turned diversity campaigner Lenny Henry to do more to redress the imbalance.

Recent figures suggested it was struggling to meet its targets, and the corporation outlined a new initiative in April including aims that 15% of staff and leadership would come from BAME backgrounds by 2020. BAME people would take the same proportion of on-air and leading roles.

It is not the first time the BBC has issued a strongly-worded rebuke to the Sun.

Last month it criticised the paper for printing “unfounded nonsense” after a string of stories about Radio 2 breakfast DJ Chris Evans’ behaviour after he took over at BBC2’s Top Gear.



Two months ago the Sun ran a story reporting comments by former culture minister David Lammy who said the BBC’s lack of BAME talent meant it was “failing in its duty to reflect modern Britain”.

The report, headlined “Ethnic minorities ‘within their rights to ask why they should pay their licence fee’, MP in furious attack on BBC”, said the criticism would “pile enormous pressure on BBC bosses”.

The corporation is one of a number of broadcasters looking to improve BAME representation, including Sky, which is controlled by Sun owner Murdoch.

Sky said in 2014 that it would aim to have 20% of the stars and writers of its UK-originated TV shows from a BAME background. The broadcaster spends £600m a year on original UK commissions.

This week broadcasting union Bectu has threatened to boycott a new diversity monitoring initiative being launched by the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Sky, claiming the broadcasters are not being transparent enough about sharing data to make it work.