BBC bow to pressure to scrap Offensive Pope Cartoon

The BBC have buckled under pressure to scrap a new cartoon released that seemed to make fun of the Pope following an outcry by Roman Catholics, it was reported yesterday.

‘Popetown’, which was a new office comedy set in the Vatican, featured the voices of Jerry Hall and Ruby Wax as a nun and the pontiff respectively. The cartoon was commissioned for the digital channel BBC3 three years ago, which targets youth.

The channel’s controller, Stuart Murphy, admitted that the 10-part animated series was too offensive to put out on air. The extreme cartoon included sketches with back-stabbing cardinals, and an infantile Pope who bounced around the Vatican on a pogo stick.

The decision to cut the show came after the BBC director-general, Mark Thompson, and the director of television, Jana Bennett viewed the show. Mr Thompson is actually a practicing Catholic, however, the BBC would not comment on whether this had an influence on the decision.

Peter Jennings, the press secretary to Rev Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Birmingham, commented that along with the Archbishop, they had discussed the programme with Mr Thompson 2 weeks ago, and that they seriously urged him to scrap the show.

“Despite all the creative energy that has gone into this project and the best efforts of everyone involved, the comic impact does not outweigh the potential offence,” said Mr Murphy. He added that there was a “fine judgement line” in comedy between the scurrilously funny and the offensive, and that ‘Popetown’ had landed on the wrong side of that line.

The BBC in the past have been accused of being less sensitive to the feelings of Christians than to other leading religions in their programme contents. A BBC spokesperson said, “The climate in which it was commissioned is different from what it is now. There are heightened sensitivities about the depiction of religion.”

Channel X created Popetown, and the production company also makes many other outrageous shows such as Shooting Stars. In scrapping the show the BBC have lost approximately £2 million, which the channel said it would try to recoup “at least some of the costs” by selling the show abroad.

In total, more than 6,000 Roman Catholics signed a petition for the ban on the cartoon. The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor said, “I raised the issue with the BBC. I am very happy that they have heeded my wishes and the concerns of Roman Catholics.”

The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rev Crispian Hollis added, “I am delighted. It would have caused offence. The Catholic community holds the person of the Holy Father in the highest regard."

However, there were also disappointed reactions to the scrapping of the show by Channel X’s managing director, Alan Marke, who said, "I am disappointed but understand the world has changed since the series was commissioned."