The Latest BBC Controversy

[David L]

If any evidence was ever required.............

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/09/bbc-attack-trump-telegraph-tories-tim-davie-resignation

[Slim]

I watched the second episode of Empire, written and presented by the left-wing pseudo-historian David Olusoga. I can't say I was surprised by what I saw having watched the first one - but - call me optimistic - in the spirit of fairness I wanted to see if Olusaga had, for this second instalment, perhaps engaged a measure of balance or objectivity.

Of course not.

The truth is: this programme does not even attempt to examine the British Empire in any meaningful or reasonable way. It might best be described as atrocity porn; an exercise in cherry-picking from historical episodes intended to show Britain and its Empire in the worst possible light. You see, the various voices represented here have been chosen to represent one side of an argument. You might think that, given the prominence of the word "British" in "British Empire" that a perspective close to home might get a look in. Inevitably, it doesn't. Actually I think a more honest title for this rubbish might be "Fuck You, Whitey".

Like many, including genuine historians like Niall Ferguson, I'm proud of the British Empire and its precious contribution to life on our planet. The civilisation, innovation and liberal values we exported have proved a priceless legacy for humankind.

And to be fair there might be a place for a programme such as Olusaga's, one-sided and distorted though it may be, provided it were to be presented honestly and openly as a left-wing anti-British opinion piece - and critically, provided it were to be balanced by a more rational, sensible presentation by a genuine historian.

But that sort of fairness and impartiality is utterly foreign to the BBC. Olusaga has a chip on his shoulder that a black hole would struggle to keep down. He loathes our country so much he can taste it, I have no doubt of that.

And that of course, is exactly why the BBC have given him his platform. I assume it's why he got the gig on Celebrity Traitors, as well. They must be so ashamed of that first 'B' in 'BBC'.

[David L]

[Slim]

I watched the final instalment of the left-wing activist David Olusoga's Empire, his attempt to insult and discredit British history and culture in the BBC tradition.

This final instalment naturally covers the end of the Empire. I expected it to consist essentially of Olusoga gloating about it, and there is a bit of that though to be fair it's muted. But there's more atrocity porn. There's a bit of sneering contempt for Britain's partition of India. He doesn't actually suggest what his own solution might have been of course.

Highslide Image Viewer

Nor does he acknowledge the obvious truth that the killings, displacements, arson, sexual violence and the rest that ensued were committed by the locals. These were the immediate consequence of independence. But these atrocities are framed here as though the fault of the Empire, the British - not the Indian communities that committed them.

There's also some romantic creationism about Windrush. No attempt to seriously represent the real, powerfully negative consequences of that.

Most seriously there's no recognition whatever of the Empire's legacy. He doesn't ask, for example, what might have become of Australia if it had never been colonised. No capital for the great infrastructure projects that built that country. No great cities or railways. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Auckland - none of the above would exist, or certainly not as we know them. Olusoga doesn't even allude to that. The British Empire was our planet's path to modernity. This is an obvious, manifest truth. But there's not so much of a hint of it here.

Generally - the contrast between his reverence for other cultures, and his contempt for British tradition and culture is striking.

Mr Olusoga is no historian. He's merely an angry little man with a chip on his shoulder; a grudge. I get the feeling that if he were to attempt, say, a history of the railways, he might find the descendants of a few ethnic minority people who'd died in industrial accidents, get them to tell us how awful rail travel is, and call it a day.

It's impossible of course to imagine that the BBC would broadcast a credible, serious examination of the British Empire.

[dom]

He was a bit of a prick in Traitors. Will try to give the show a watch

[The Picnic Wasp]

I hoped there might be something controversial today. With Alex Scott currently in the jungle with ITV (how does that work?), I thought perhaps the BBC might do something radical like let a man guest host Football Focus. Maybe an 84 year old Bob Wilson would have been a nice gesture. But no!

[Nickslikk2112]

With Alex Scott currently in the jungle

Let's hope she's kept there.

Look love, I don't care that you're black. I don't care that you're a woman. I don't care that you sarnd Fikk. I don't care that you're a member of the Sapphic Sisterhood. I do care that you're totally talentless as a TV presenter and that my licence fee is supporting you whilst denying somebody with ability.

Maybe an 84 year old Bob Wilson would have been a nice gesture.

Hmmm, white, male. knows what he's on about went to a single sex Grammar* school? No chance!

Bloody Wiipedia says he went to Brookfield Community School in Chesterfield. No he didn't, like my father he went to Chesterfield Boy's Grammar School. A school which helped decent working class boys escape their background, not the breeding ground of low-life vermin that it is today.

[The Picnic Wasp]

With Alex Scott currently in the jungle

Let's hope she's kept there.

Look love, I don't care that you're black. I don't care that you're a woman. I don't care that you sarnd Fikk. I don't care that you're a member of the Sapphic Sisterhood. I do care that you're totally talentless as a TV presenter and that my licence fee is supporting you whilst denying somebody with ability.

Maybe an 84 year old Bob Wilson would have been a nice gesture.

Hmmm, white, male. knows what he's on about went to a single sex Grammar* school? No chance!

Bloody Wiipedia says he went to Brookfield Community School in Chesterfield. No he didn't, like my father he went to Chesterfield Boy's Grammar School. A school which helped decent working class boys escape their background, not the breeding ground of low-life vermin that it is today.

Sarnd Fikk had me confused for a moment. Brilliant! I hate her ing inability.

[Matt2112]

With Alex Scott currently in the jungle

Let's hope she's kept there.

Look love, I don't care that you're black. I don't care that you're a woman. I don't care that you sarnd Fikk. I don't care that you're a member of the Sapphic Sisterhood.

That's not even a bronze medal in the Oppression Olympics.

She needs to raise her game and, say, declare herself as "non-binary".

[Thenop]

This is in the Dutch news as well. Bregman is a respected author and has done many lectures on the subject.

Dutch author accuhttps://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/25/rutger-bregman-accuses-bbc-of-censoring-his-reith-lecture-on-trump

[Fishy]

Historian criticises BBC for removing Trump line from Radio 4 lecture https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpvdzdnnp8xo

[Thenop]

Historian criticises BBC for removing Trump line from Radio 4 lecture https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpvdzdnnp8xo

Ah, so they picked up on it themselves as well.

[Slim]

That was a serious mistake on the BBC's part. Apart from anything else, they've actually drawn more attention to what was said during the lecture by censoring it.

[Slim]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/11/29/minorities-feel-bbc-represents-lives-than-white-viewers/

Minorities feel BBC represents their lives more than white viewers

No shit!

[Matt2112]

That was a serious mistake on the BBC's part. Apart from anything else, they've actually drawn more attention to what was said during the lecture by censoring it.

AKA The Streisand Effect.