Mishal Husain and Martha Kearney: Unintended On-Air Swearing
BBC Radio 4 host Martha Kearney unexpectedly uttered a swear word, ‘s**t’, live on air just before 7 am, following a similar slip by Mishal Husain a day prior during an interview with Home Secretary James Cleverly.
Recapping the Swearing Incidents
During the R4 Today show, Kearney reported on Husain’s interview with Cleverly and mentioned the word ‘s**t’ once, referencing Husain’s seven times use of the same word in less than a minute during her interview.
Context: Cleverly’s Denials and Swearing Controversies
James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, has faced allegations about using explicit language in various contexts, including references to a ‘sthole’ during a parliamentary session and purportedly calling a government policy ‘batst’. Cleverly denies these claims.
BBC’s Policy on Swearing and Offensiveness
The BBC permits swearing on air when ‘editorially justified’. The corporation likely deemed the use of ‘st’ acceptable as it quoted a politician’s language, which was the subject of controversy. ‘St’ is categorized as ‘medium’ in terms of offensiveness by Ofcom.
On-Air Exchange: Husain and Cleverly
In a heated exchange between Mishal Husain and James Cleverly, Husain questioned Cleverly about his use of the term ‘sthole’ in Parliament, to which Cleverly denied, stating he referred to an individual using ‘st’ and accused Husain of misinterpreting his words.
Cleverly’s Past Controversies
James Cleverly has faced other controversies, including a joke about using a date-rape drug, Rohypnol, on his wife, and previous explicit remarks directed at political counterparts.
The BBC’s Stand and Cleverly’s Defense
Cleverly defended himself against these accusations, maintaining that the accusations of using offensive language were unfounded, emphasizing a difference between the words ‘st’ and ‘sthole’ in the context of his comments.
The on-air swearing incidents involving Mishal Husain and Martha Kearney on BBC Radio 4 have stirred controversy, highlighting alleged explicit language used by Home Secretary James Cleverly and sparking a debate about acceptable language in the media.
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