Archive · 25 Sep 2026
BBC Removes Victoria Beckham Joke From iPlayer Episode
A comedy show made a joke about Victoria Beckham.
The joke came during a discussion about her husband David Beckham and an old honours controversy.
David Beckham had reportedly used an offensive word when discussing not receiving a knighthood.
Katherine Ryan referred to Victoria while talking about whether that word could be broadcast.
Two viewers complained that the joke was unnecessarily offensive.
The BBC reviewed the complaints.
It decided there was no good editorial reason to make Victoria seem equivalent to the offensive word.
The BBC removed the joke from the episode on BBC iPlayer.
The decision follows other recent BBC edits to comedy programmes.
A joke about Victoria Beckham was removed from Have I Got News for You on BBC iPlayer.
The gag followed discussion of David Beckham’s alleged 2013 remarks about the honours committee.
Katherine Ryan made the comment while guest presenting the episode, after Maisie Adam mentioned Beckham receiving a knighthood.
Two viewers complained that the joke was gratuitously offensive.
The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit ruled that the joke was not editorially justified and ordered its removal from the available episode.
- Who
- The BBC, Katherine Ryan, Maisie Adam, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, and two complaining viewers were involved.
- What
- The BBC removed a joke about Victoria Beckham from a Have I Got News for You episode after reviewing complaints.
- When
- The removal followed complaints about the broadcast episode; the articles do not provide a specific date.
- Where
- The edited episode is available on BBC iPlayer.
- Why
- The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit ruled that presenting Victoria Beckham as equivalent to an offensive word was not editorially justified.
BBC Editorial Justification
Criticism of Comedy Edits
Removing the Victoria Beckham joke
BBC Editorial Justification
The BBC said the joke caused offence without an editorial justification and removed it after two complaints.
Criticism of Comedy Edits
The joke’s removal adds to concerns about comedy being edited after complaints, although the articles do not identify a specific public response to this decision.
Recent comedy programme edits
BBC Editorial Justification
The BBC also removed several That Mitchell and Webb Look sketches, including sketches involving blackface, as part of its editorial decisions for the iPlayer return.
Criticism of Comedy Edits
Some comedians, including John Cleese, criticized those removals and described them as social engineering.
- Programme
- Have I Got News for You
- Platform
- BBC iPlayer
- Joke source
- Katherine Ryan, while guest presenting
- Other panellist mentioned
- Maisie Adam
- Complaints
- Two viewers complained that the joke was gratuitously offensive.
- BBC ruling
- The joke was not editorially justified.
- Related BBC edits
- Up to 11 sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look were removed ahead of its iPlayer return, including sketches involving blackface.