Graham Norton and all his guests wore red ribbons in the episode Graham Norton has been 'disciplined' by BBC for wearing an HIV/AIDS awareness ribbon in a recent episode of his chat show, just a few days before World AIDS Day. BBC says he broke ‘production guidelines’ when ignored warnings and donned the ribbon, although his guests Jeremy Clarkson, Jo Brand, Colin Farrell and Sharon Osbourne were allowed to. “World AIDS Day is an issue which Graham cares passionately about and he did wear a World AIDS Day insignia on his programme,” BBC entertainment controller Mark Linsey has stated. “However, this is in breach of BBC guidelines. The production company has been contacted and reminded that he cannot do this and Graham has accepted he was wrong to do so. The BBC has been assured it will not occur again.” The National AIDS Trust has told Pink News that in these times of low public awareness of HIV in the UK, if someone feels passionately enough to want to wear a ribbon that should be encouraged not penalised. “We will use this heightened media debate as an opportunity to renew our efforts to convince the BBC that current rules which ban the wearing of red ribbons around World AIDS Day are illogical and unfair.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 12th December 2013 - 9:13am