The BBC has pulled its controversial Gaza documentary from its streaming platform iPlayer after revelations that its teenage narrator is the son of a Hamas official.
The doc, “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” which initially aired on BBC Two, featured young Abdullah Al-Yazouri chronicling daily life in the war-torn region. The broadcaster faced immediate backlash when it came to light that Abdullah’s father, Ayman Alyazouri, holds the position of Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
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Industry figures, including “Friday Night Dinner” star Tracy-Ann Oberman, Neil Blair of The Blair Partnership, the literary agency that represents J.K. Rowling, former BBC One boss Danny Cohen, and producer Leo Pearlman, demanded the program’s removal and pressed for transparency regarding the broadcaster’s vetting process.
On Thursday, the BBC acknowledged its failure to disclose the narrator’s family ties to Hamas. While defending the documentary’s importance in highlighting children’s experiences in Gaza, the broadcaster confirmed it’s conducting “further due diligence” with London-based production company Hoyo Films.
A new statement from the BBC issued on Friday says: “‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’ features important stories we think should be told – those of the experiences of children in Gaza. There have been continuing questions raised about the program and in the light of these, we are conducting further due diligence with the production company. The program will not be available on iPlayer while this is taking place.”
U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has waded into the controversy, revealing plans to discuss the documentary with the BBC, particularly regarding its subject sourcing.
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