BBC Two brings back Boyle in bid for ‘relevance’

By BBC Two is to become more “contemporary”, its controller has said, as he announced the return of Frankie Boyle, the controversial comedian.

Patrick Holland said the new season was intended “to make the channel feel more vital and relevant to the audi- ence”, with politics and social affairs to the fore. In recent years, BBC Two has had ratings success with gentle factual series, including An Island Parish, Coast and The Great Pottery Throwdown. But Holland signalled a change, saying he wanted programmes “that shine fresh light on contemporary life”.

Programmes will include a series about families living below the poverty line and a programme on the “turbulent” months since Brexit.

Holland said he had also been determined to give Boyle his own topical show. The comedian was reprimanded by the BBC Trust for making “humiliating” remarks about swimmer Rebecca Adlington in 2012, and called “offensive” by Ofcom in 2011 for mocking Katie Price’s disabled son, Harvey.