The BBC is said to be refusing to play a classic Christmas song because it contains an “offensive” lyric.
The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York – despite its popularity – could be barred from rising to the top of the charts this Christmas.
Britain’s national broadcaster is reportedly blacklisting a new “live” version of the song because it contains the words “cheap, lousy f****t”.
The Sun reports BBC bosses are halting its rise to the top of the charts.
One music industry insider told the newspaper: “It feels unfair that this live version which shouldn’t be edited has now been barred from the Beeb’s playlist.
“It’s an authentic performance of a much-loved track by a much-loved band and this move might be the measure that prevents it from getting to number one at Christmas, which is where it has always deserved to be.”
This year’s accusations of a ban follow a similar move in 2020.
That year, BBC Radio 1 vowed not to play the original record – because its audience “may be offended by some of the lyrics”.
Britain’s national broadcaster is reportedly blacklisting a new ‘live’ version of the song
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PA
The station instead used a new edited version with two lines changed.
One was swapped for an alternative version in which Kirsty MacColl sings: “You’re cheap and you’re haggard” instead of the original words.
Then another line, sung by Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan in the second verse, had a word removed altogether.
The Irish rock hit, released in 1987, is one of several vintage festive tracks which surged to a nail-biting number two in the charts through the years.
CHRISTMAS CANCELLED – READ MORE:
Shane MacGowan’s (right) second-verse line had a word removed altogether in 2020
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GETTY
It has surged into the top ten every Christmas.
But The Pogues’ own original single was blocked from glory by the Pet Shop Boys’ Always On My Mind.
Wham!’s Last Christmas, meanwhile, was prevented from reaching the festive perch by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas in 1984.
Fairytale of New York was voted the most popular Christmas song in the UK in a survey by PRS for Music in 2019.
It was alao the most played Christmas track on radio in 2018.
In 2024, Britain’s Christmas number one finally went to Wham!’s Last Christmas.
The tune made history as the first song to top the charts for two consecutive Christmas periods
More to follow…
