Journalist suspended for calling out BBC over Tyson Fury ‘gays and paedophilia’ comments
BBC news presenter Andy West has been suspended for comments he made on Facebook about the controversy surrounding boxing champ Tyson Fury.
The boxer claims to have “evidence” that paedophilia was legalised by a fictional ‘Gay Rights Act 1977’ – but the BBC has resisted pressure to rescind his Sports Personality of the Year nomination.
Asked by the BBC to respond to critics of his views, and the fact that he has been stripped of his title, he said: “I’ve got lots to tell you. Believe in the lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
Northern Irish host Andy West, took to social media to express his concerns that the BBC “is hurting me and other gay people by celebrating someone who considers me no better than a paedophile”.
The comment has since been deleted, but the presenter went on to write: “It is tempting to see him for the laughable idiot he is but sadly there are many other idiots who will be inspired and encouraged by his naive, juvenile bigotry.
“I am ashamed to work for the BBC when it lacks the bravery to admit it is making a mistake”.
This morning he tweeted to say that he had been suspended, pending investigation.
“I can’t say more but, as of yesterday, I am suspended by the BBC pending investigation. I made my bed now I have time to lie in it,” he wrote.
This years Sport’s Personality of the Year award has been surrounded by massive controversy after Fury was short-listed, given his comments about gay people and women.
Olympic track and field star Greg Rutherford has threatened to pull out of the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award if Tyson Fury remains in the shortlist.
Fury has been uninvited from the awards ceremony because of threatening comments he allegedly made to a sports journalist.
As well as calling those who have signed the petition “50,000 wankers”, Fury has taken to Twitter – to claim he doesn’t want the award anyway.
Greater Manchester Police are now pursuing a complaint of hate crime and investigating Fury over his comments.
In an interview with BuzzFeed, one of West’s friends said: “Andy loves the BBC but is so sad to see it giving a pedestal to someone who seems to be causing injury to people like him, who want to live their lives as the people they are. He just wants to stand up for gay people”.
In a leaked email from Andy West to BBCs director general Tony Hall, he wrote: “I appeal to you as an equal opportunities employer and proud bastion of fair-thinking to consider whether it is appropriate to celebrate someone who has stated that gay people are sign of a coming Armageddon and equates homosexuals to paedophiles”.
A BBC spokesperson has stated in response “We do not routinely comment on individual staff matters”.
Last week a challenger to Tyson Fury’s heavyweight champ title warned him to watch his mouth.
BBC News presenter Clive Myrie, during a live newspaper review on the BBC News channel branded Fury a “dickhead” after checking that it was “after the watershed”.
Fury today responded to critics of his recent anti-gay and misogynistic comments, by quoting Bible verse.
