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http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=22312005

BBC braced for Springer opera storm

THE BBC was bracing itself for further criticism today as it prepared to screen the controversial Jerry Springer musical.

Critics have complained that the show, to be shown uncut on BBC2 tonight, features more than 8000 swearwords and portrays Jesus in a nappy admitting he is "a bit gay".

The decision to broadcast Jerry Springer - The Opera has sparked a record 7361 complaints to TV watchdogs and protesters have burned symbolic TV licences over the issue.

The previous record holder for complaints, Martin Scorsese’s film The Last Temptation of Christ, attracted just 1554 complaints when it was shown on TV in 1995.

The leader of the Christian People’s Alliance Party, Alan Craig, called for the suspension of BBC2 controller Roly Keating.

Yesterday BBC director-general Mark Thompson defended the decision to screen the show, saying that as a practising Christian he found nothing in it to be blasphemous.

He said viewers would be warned that the West End musical contained strong language.

Protesters gathered outside the BBC’s Television Centre in west London yesterday in an attempt to persuade the corporation to scrap the musical.

TV lobby group Mediawatch-UK has written to BBC chairman Michael Grade claiming the show breached corporation guidelines on respecting religious sensibilities.

But the National Secular Society has urged the BBC to stand firm against "religious bullies".

The show will form the centrepiece of BBC2’s Jerry Springer Night.

[Pink Flamingo]

Somewhere, in a hideaway:

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BBC executives were tonight under guard after the controversial show Jerry Springer - The Opera was aired on BBC2.

The corporation said it had received threats from individuals who objected to the programme's "blasphemous" content.

It is believed Roly Keating, the controller of BBC2, and Jana Bennett, the director of television, are among those who have been given private security guard protection.

A BBC spokesman said executives' families had been subjected to "a large number of abusive and unpleasant calls".

Private telephone numbers of those concerned were posted on a campaign group's website, which was later taken down following legal action by the Beeb.

The corporation refused to bow to religious groups which had demanded the show not be aired.

A record number of complaints, 40,000, were made prior to the show going out.

Critics say the opera features more than 8,000 swearwords and portrays Jesus in a nappy admitting he is "a bit gay".

Tory deputy leader Michael Ancram joined the criticism.

He said: "You can choose to go to the theatre, you can decide that you want to pay a sum of money to go to see something. That is where you go to see freedom of expression."

But BBC director general Mark Thompson said that as a practising Christian he found nothing in the show that he believed to be blasphemous.

"An hour-long programme is going out in front of it, putting it into context, and making it very, very clear to the public that it does include a great deal of strong language," he said.

The opera, which plays to packed houses in the West End, contains a total of 3,168 "f"-words and 297 "c"-words.

The total number of obscenities is calculated by multiplying the number of swearwords by the number of people singing them.

Prayer group Christian Voice held a vigil outside BBC Television Centre in Wood Lane, west London.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13279769,00.html