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Exclusive: BBC comedy shows appear to be overwhelmingly biased against Tories, Brexit and Trump

Have I Got News For You featured many jokes aimed at Right-wing figures and issues as opposed to those on the Left - Charlotte Ball
Have I Got News For You featured many jokes aimed at Right-wing figures and issues as opposed to those on the Left - Charlotte Ball
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BBC topical comedy shows appear to be overwhelmingly biased against figures and institutions on the political right, analysis by the Sunday Telegraph has found.

Episodes of the long-running Have I Got News For You on BBC1 and the News Quiz on Radio 4, together with the more recent Mash Report on BBC2, which were broadcast during lockdown, featured 13 times as many jokes aimed at Right-wing figures and issues as opposed to those on the Left.

They were largely aimed at the Conservative Party, Brexit and President Donald Trump, with just ten jokes across six episodes criticising  Left-wing figures, including the Labour Party, its leader Sir Keir Starmer, and the US Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

This newspaper analysed the two most recent episodes of Have I Got News For You and The Mash Report and News Quiz, all of which date from between April and June this year. The first episode of the new series of the News Quiz which started on Friday (Sept 4) was not included in the survey.

The May 22 edition of BBC1's Have I Got News For You - which is made by Hat Trick Productions and is now into its 59th series - made five comments about Boris Johnson’s perceived incompetence along with questions about his family.

There were also digs at press performances by Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Government’s “confused message” on easing lockdown.

A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel attending a remote press conference to update the nation on the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 22, 2020. - Andrew Parsons/AFP
A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel attending a remote press conference to update the nation on the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 22, 2020. - Andrew Parsons/AFP

Guest host and Guardian columnist Charlie Brooker remarked on the programme that “the Press have got it in for Sir Keir Starmer”, and panel regular Ian Hislop said Sir Keir had so far “performed quite well” during his time as leader.

A week later the May 29 episode featured no fewer than 27 jokes about Mr Johnson's chief adviser Dominic Cummings after his visit to Durham during lockdown. Hislop suggested that Mr Cummings “should resign” on three occasions.

There were 15 further comments about Mr Johnson and his party but once again no critical mention of Sir Keir or Labour.

The BBC has previously said in response to allegations of bias: “The BBC has a long tradition of satire and it isn’t unusual for public figures to have their actions scrutinised. No-one in the public eye is exempt. We don’t consider that [the Cummings] story received disproportionate coverage on the programme.”

The BBC has also defended itself against past claims of taking sides by saying that “the BBC is an independent, universal broadcaster, committed to serving everyone”.

On BBC2 on May 1, episode five of the fourth Mash Report series, produced by Zeppotron, targeted the Conservative Party and its politicians 11 times, including a questionable claim that "people who used to detest the NHS suddenly love it... the Right-wing press, Conservative politicians and men who like golf".

The show also made five references to President Trump, and presenter Nish Kumar said he “talks nonsense”. The same episode contained no mention at all of any Left-wing political leaders or institutions.

The Tories were under fire in the following week's Mash Report on May 8, with 17 jokes about the party and its politicians, and again saw no mention of Sir Keir or Labour.

There was better political balance when the show turned to the upcoming US Presidential election with more evenly balanced humour regarding Trump and Biden and a segment featuring British conservative-leaning comic Geoff Norcott.

On Radio 4 two episodes of News Quiz - now its 102nd series - broadcast on May 29 and June 5 featured a combined 14 mentions of President Trump plus five punchlines about Mr Johnson, while there were three references to Sir Keir and no mention at all of Mr Biden.

None of this perceived bias is new. Among the 20 Have I Got News For You hosts since 2016 to have commented publicly on politics, 10 of its presenters have expressed Left-wing views, and a further nine have gone on record with liberal opinions.

These include staunch Labour supporters Jo Brand and David Harewood, in addition to Gary Lineker - who called for a second referendum on Brexit - as well Ed Balls, a Labour MP for 10 years, and the former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

The only apparent Right-wing guest host has been the former BBC interviewer Jeremy Paxman, who in 2014 described himself as a ‘one-nation Tory’ and said that his views often meant he found himself at odds with liberal Newsnight colleagues.

The BBC declined to comment on individual jokes and programmes. Hat Trick and Zeppotron were also contacted for comment.