BBC fears that Pogues classic could upset young listeners
BBC Radio 1 will not play the original version of Christmas favourite Fairytale of New York to avoid offending its youthful listeners.
The Pogues’ gritty festive hit with Kirsty Maccoll has become a festive playlist staple, but in recent years has come under increased scrutiny for its adult content and lyrics, which include the words “faggot” and “slut”.
BBC bosses say they fear the terms may upset Radio 1’s younger listeners.
This year, the station will play an alternative version – also sung by Maccoll – with the offending references replaced by more modest terms.
Radio 2, however, will continue to play the original, and BBC 6 Music is making both versions available and leaving it to each presenter’s choice.
It is not the first time the BBC has found itself courting controversy over the song, which reached number two on the Christmas chart in 1987 and has reappeared in the UK Top 20 every year since 2005. In 2007, it censored the song but bowed to pressure and reverted to the uncensored version after a flood of complaints from listeners, including Kirsty Maccoll’s mother, Jean.
Shane Macgowan, the song’s writer and lead singer of The Pogues, said in 2018: “Not all characters in songs and stories are angels or even decent and respectable. Sometimes characters in songs and stories have to be evil or nasty in order to tell the story effectively.”
The BBC said: “We know the song is considered a Christmas classic and we will continue to play it, with our radio stations choosing the version of the song most relevant for their audience.”
Last year, the BBC came under fire for using the unedited version in the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special.
Ruth Jones, the show’s co-creator, who played Nessa, defended the song, telling The Sun: “It is a different climate but we have to remain true to the characters, to who they were. Characters in Gavin & Stacey are kind and big-hearted, I believe. So I think no one is going to be intentionally hurtful.”