Prayer group to sue BBC for blasphemy

Christians angered by the Jerry Springer musical broadcast by the BBC are to pursue a private prosecution against the corporation for alleged blasphemy, it emerged today.

Critics were angered by the show, shown uncut on BBC2 last night, because of foul language and scenes showing Jesus in a nappy admitting he is “a bit gay”.

As the row escalated, senior BBC executives were given security guards after phone threats were made by irate campaigners.

Their private phone numbers were posted on a website and the matter has been reported to the police.

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

Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, a UK-wide prayer group, confirmed that it would mount a private prosecution.

He said: “We will probably bring a private prosecution against them for the common law offence of blasphemy.

“Having seen the thing, if this is not blasphemy, nothing is.”

He added: “There will be nothing sacred if we cannot successfully prosecute the BBC.”

Mr Green plans to take legal advice early next week.

Reacting to news that threats were made against BBC executives, he said: “We completely distance ourselves from it and condemn these threats. We were a little naive in thinking our website was used only by Christians.

“Some criminal element have taken matters as they have.”

The BBC insist there are less than 300 hundred offensive words in the opera, even under the broadest definition of the term, including 117 ‘f-words’ and seven ‘c-words’.

Early overnight viewing figures indicate Jerry Springer – The Opera had an average audience of 1.8 million viewers, an audience share of 10.8%.

A BBC statement said: “We are pleased that a wider audience has been able to see this important piece of contemporary musical theatre.”

Since the programme went out, 317 calls were received by viewers, according to the latest figures.

Figures showed 28% appreciated the show, 16% were happy it was broadcast, 33% thought it was offensive and 23% though it should not have been broadcast.

It is not considered a large number of calls although the corporation said it was a high number for supportive calls.

Before the show went out, the BBC received 47,000 calls and letters over the issue, the majority of which were negative.

Demonstrations were held outside BBC offices across the country last night, including a vigil at BBC Television Centre, in Wood Lane, west London.

Television lobby group Mediawatch-UK, which wrote to the BBC chairman Michael Grade claiming the show breached corporation’s guidelines, today insisted the opera was offensive.

John Beyer, director of Mediawatch-UK, said: “In the first place, I am obviously disappointed that the BBC did go ahead with this in the light of all the expressions of concern and protest that occurred before it was shown.”