‘I am a Christian and found the show totally unacceptable’

With all its pratfalls and mistakes, the Goes Wrong Show has become a staple of family-friendly comedy on the BBC.

But not for everyone, it appears, for the Corporation has revealed that it has received complaints about this year’s Christmas special.

In the show, which aired at 7pm on December 22, the fictional Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society recreated the Nativity story ‘with the usual technical hiccups and blunders that viewers of the programme would expect’.

The BBC has not revealed the nature of the complaints, but they are likely to revolve around questions of blasphemy. The show took plenty of liberties with the story - including Nine Wise Men – and featured fake corporate sponsorship (including the line ‘even Jesus loves cash’).

In response to the complaints, the BBC said today: ‘While it’s never our intention to offend or upset our viewers with what we show, it is perhaps inevitable that some aspects of our programmes will occasionally strike some in our audience as inappropriate. This is especially so within comedy; one of the most subjective areas of programming. 

‘Our Editorial Guidelines uphold the right to freedom of expression and the right of programme-makers to include material which some members of the audience may find inappropriate or offensive.
 
‘However, we are always very conscious of how jokes might resonate with those with direct experience of the subjects we cover, and we never set out to mock or undermine their beliefs and experiences.’

Reaction to the episode on Twitter was almost universally positive, with viewers saying it was ‘such a joy’, ‘absolutely fantastic’ and the ‘silliest, most fun Christmas show’. One even said: ‘I was laughing so much I thought I might vomit’.

Chortle could find only two complaints, one saying, calmly: ‘Not funny, so offensive to millions of Christians across London. You disgusting corporation of pigs. Hope you come crashing down very soon you woke scum..’

And another who said: ‘I am a Christian and found the show totally unacceptable’ … and when one fellow believer said he was enjoying the show, the original poster replied: ‘While there's viewers like you, @BBCOne ratings are assured as is the demise of a Christian Europe. Enjoy!’

Published: 31 Dec 2020