CBBC's Horrible Histories Brexit special condemned as 'anti-British drivel'
A spoof song by CBBC's Horrible Histories has struck the wrong chord.
Presented by comedian Nish Kumar, Horrible Histories Brexit says it gives a glimpse of “what our European friends have given us over the course of history” to mark the day Brexit officially goes through.
It is promoted by the CBBC Twitter account with the words: “British things… turns out there’s hardly any.”
"British things… turns out there’s hardly any.”@MrNishKumar and @HHTV_ are spilling the tea on British stuff in #HorribleHistories #Brexit special ☕️ Streaming now on @BBCiPlayer 👉 https://t.co/2S40YIQuTG @RealMatBaynton pic.twitter.com/jn1EvbYZLX
— CBBC (@cbbc) January 31, 2020
The video gives a snapshot of past events in British history, highlighting that the “Germans gave Britain a royal family” and that the country’s favourite beverage, tea, is from India.
However, the clip has come in for widespread condemnation.
The BBC’s very own high-profile political heavyweight Andrew Neil was unimpressed by the satirical take on “what we’ll miss”.
The presenter criticised the video tweeting: “This is anti-British drivel of a high order. Was any of the licence fee used to produce something purely designed to demean us?”
Last year, Neil complained that the corporation's comedy output is too left wing, calling The Mash Report, BBC Two's late night comedy panel show presented by Kumar, as "self satisfied, self adulatory, unchallenged Left-wing propaganda.”
This is anti-British drivel of a high order. Was any of the licence fee used to produce something purely designed to demean us? https://t.co/sZmreYMRHi
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) January 31, 2020
Conservative MP Ben Bradley accused the CBBC show, the audience of which ranges from 6-16 year olds, of producing propaganda for children.
“Remain propaganda talking down Britain's role in the world, emphasizing the bad and ignoring the good, because God forbid people might love their country. Now being produced for child audiences across the BBC and CBBC,” he wrote.
The video is airing on BBC iPlayer and the CBBC YouTube channel.
This is not the first time the BBC has been accused of bias in recent weeks.
The broadcaster was criticised by both the Left and the Right in the weeks before the poll.
In December, Downing Street pulled ministers from a Radio 4 Today programme ahead of the election because he refused Boris Johnson refused to be interviewed by Neil.
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The presenter 'empty-chaired’ the Prime Minister and delivered an on-air monologue criticising Boris Johnson for failing to agree to be interviewed by him.
Former BBC chairman Lord Grade criticised Neil for his response in broadcasting the monologue after the snub.
The Conservative peer said: “The issue here is impartiality, and broadcasters have a statutory duty to respect that.
“It is not their job to use the airwaves to cajole and try to coerce politicians into interviews or to shame them publicly if they exercise their right to refuse,” he wrote in the Daily Mail.