Katherine Ryan cleared over All That Glitters line

The BBC has rejected complaints about Katherine Ryan joking about the ‘confidence of straight white men’.

Four viewers contacted  the corporation’s editorial complaint unit over the comment on the BBC Two craft competition All That Glitters: Britain's Next Jewellery Star.

But the internal watchdogs have now revealed that they did not uphold the complaints about the episode, which was broadcast last month.

On the programme, Ryan gave a pep talk to Sri-Lankan born contestant Tamara Gomez, saying: ‘You need to really back yourself... do you know how confident a straight white man would be right now?’

‘Yeah, I know,’ Tamara responded.

‘Think about Boris Johnson, how pleased he'd be right now,' the comic added. ‘He'd be like, "Nailed it". Sometimes we've got to think like these men.’

The comment attracted complaints that it was ‘sexist’, ‘racist’ and  demonising’, with one suggesting that the prevalence of suicide among white men made it ‘dangerous rhetoric’.

But others criticised those who took issue with the line, saying Ryan was only ‘pointing out the obvious’ and asking ‘who are the snowflakes now?’

At the time of the original complaints, the BBC said: ‘Many viewers of this programme will be familiar with Katherine Ryan’s well-established style of comedy after multiple appearances on BBC comedy programmes over the years.

‘Comedy is one of the most subjective areas of programming and we can assure you we never set out to offend viewers with anything we show.’

Now the editorial complaint unit  has confirmed that it has rejected the complaint in its fortnightly summary of its actions.

Published: 28 May 2021