Chris Moyles in more hot water over BBC ‘faggot’ comment.
The Nike match ball infront of rainbow flags during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United at Vitality Stadium on February 24, 2018. (Catherine Ivill/Getty)
BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles is facing another gay jibe row after the word ‘faggot’ was broadcast on his show.
The derogatory term was used by Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who was a guest on the Chris Moyles show. During what the BBC describe as “friendly banter”, the pair discussed the attractiveness of two of Manchester United’s players, Alan Smith and Paul Scholes.
After much provocation by Moyles, who insisted on asking which team-mate Rio would prefer to date, Rio responded by calling Moyles “a faggot”.
The incident is not the first time that anti-gay language has been used on Chris Moyles’ Radio 1 show. In June of this year, Moyles came under fire from anti-bullying charities for describing a ringtone as ‘gay’, using the word to mean the same as ‘rubbish’.
“I find it strange that someone like Rio Ferdinand should make a comment like this, especially as he has supported anti-bullying campaigns before,” said Niall Cowley from the Beat Bullying charity. “This reinforces the fact that adults calling each other ‘faggot’ on air really doesn’t help those trying to stop children being bullied in the playground.”
A BBC spokesperson said that as Rio apologised immediately after he made the comment, only a few complaints had been received by the company in the hours after the show was broadcast.
