‘Offensive’ Jamaican sketch show on iplayer is defended

Jessica Carpani

THE BBC has insisted it “stands by the creative humour” of a sketch show that mocked Jamaican stereotypes.

BBC Three came under fire last week when a clip from the forthcoming third series of comedy sketch show Famalam was posted on social media.

The clip, which showed cast members taking part in a Jamaican version of the quiz show Countdown, received fierce backlash for what some said invoked stereotypes of Jamaican people.

It prompted Kamina Johnson-smith, the Jamaican foreign minister, to tweet that she would be “writing formally” to the corporation about the parody, which she said was “outrageous and offensive to the incredible country which I am proud to represent along with every Jamaican at home and within our diaspora”. Yesterday, Fiona Campbell, the BBC Three controller, defended the programme. She said the sketch was not “malicious”, adding: “We stand by the creator’s brand of humour.”

She told the Edinburgh TV Festival: “Famalam is now in its third series and it is very successful.

“It is not malicious humour ... The creators themselves said they are poking fun at all stereotypes. There isn’t malice in the type of content.”

Discussing the corporation’s incoming director-general Tim Davie, who is set to take over from next month, Ms Campbell said one of his “early decisions” will be on whether or not BBC Three should return as a linear television channel. BBC Three moved online in 2016 but it has previously been reported that the channel may return to its original television format.