Entertainment News
- 15 May 2012, 17:57
Gary Glitter TV footage sparks complaints
TV watchdogs are assessing whether BBC bosses risked breaching broadcasting regulations by airing footage of disgraced pop star Gary Glitter during a primetime show.
The glam rock icon, real name Paul Gadd, was sentenced to three years in prison in Vietnam for sexually abusing two girls aged 10 and 11, and since his release in 2008 he's been a figure of hate.
On Saturday night, footage of Glitter singing his track It Takes All Night Long in his 1970s heyday on TV show Top of the Pops was broadcast by the BBC - and the controversial move prompted a handful of complaints.
Officals at the Office of Communications (Ofcom) are now assessing whether the complaints warrant a full investigation.
An Ofcom spokesman tells WENN, "We can confirm that we have received complaints which we are currently assessing but not yet investigating."
A spokesman for the BBC stood by the decision to air the clip, insisting it would be "inappropriate" for the corporation to "rewrite history".
what do you think?
Ann Vennard
We saw the program and turned it off disgusted he should be on our screens.
Derek Whyman
It's part of pop history, What he done afterwards does not change the fact.
James Poulton
Non - Issue
Mike Drouin
a handfull of complaints perhaps 2 ? what he did was not good bit there are many others who have done a lot worse ,he did the crime and has done the time , lets move on .
Name witheld
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Sally Jolly
Sorry Keith - the issue is nothing to do with the BBC - the most highly thought of television company in THE WORLD, and which earns an enormous amount of income for this country - what do you do?
EQINOX187 .
@ nickmj im not sure were you get your facts from but the BBC in acual fact get very little income from other countrys... Your staitment should have acualy said "which earns an enormous amount of income from the people of this country at virtual gun point"
Chris Carr
and just what would replace the BBC? More commercial TV showing obnouxious people on so called reality TV shows? No thanks. I'd pay my licence fee for David Attenborough alone.
Andrew Sheldon
I am not condoning what he did but if we follow this through with every figure who has done something wrong, there would be no one on television history programs. How many complaints are sent when footage of Hitler, Sadam or Osama are shown? Talk about mountain out of molehill.
Tony Robbins
I hate what Glitter did he is the worst of the worst, he still doesnt think it was wrong, but we can't rewrite history he was huge in the seventies, As long as he isnt getting paid I can't see an issue. its just a shame they dont shoot perverts in Vietnam!!
Chris Carr
his music wasn't that bad
Sally Jolly
Yes, Glitter has been proven to be a pervert, and been punished accordingly but like it or not he was a HUGE part of the 70s and produced great music. Michael Jackson paid $6m (reportedly) to a family who had claimed he treated their child "inappropriately" and there have been all sorts of tales and claims there - but we still play his music frequently. Whatever his proclivities he was musically a genius and acknowledged as such and we have managed to separate the two. Other celebrities have been convicted of all sorts of heinous crimes and yet we still see them on the TV, still fawn all over them, indeed with dope heads seem to almost give them approval! Why not with Glitter - just confiscate any royalties to childrens charities? Get some good out of it.
Roger Siviter
Gary Glitter has always maintained his innocence regards the molestation of those 2 girls in Vietnam though we were all quick to disbelieve him after he had been in prison in England for having indecent images on his computer. We know for a fact that the sun newspaper mounted a vicious crusade against him continually hunting him down and publicly revealing his whereabouts in effect turning him into a hunted animal. So isn't it strange that since his release from jail in Vietnam, the parents of those 2 girls have since admitted that they received a considerable amount of money from ........yes, a certain British tabloid in return for witness statements to help in Gary Glitters conviction! Sorry, but as much as I hate child perverts, I sense something well out of order on this one! As regards old footage of his being aired on tv, the BBC are right to point out that we cannot rewrite history.....fullstop.
dawn mckenna
For Goodness sake he was a big music star in the 70's. It's only playing a song. World's gone mad
Michael Ball
Glitter turned out to be an evil child molester, but at the time that T.V. programme was made he was a super star of the glam rock era. Therefore, like it or not he's a part of music's history. In my opinion the BBC did nothing wrong in showing that clip of him. As others have said we still see the likes of Hitler and Stalin on history programmes on T.V.
Gwyn Jones
BBC are just as evil as Glitter they have only aired the footage for publicity and lets face it` it has worked. I hardly ever watch the BBC as most of what they show is about cheating. British Broadcasing Cr*p If they can splice a tape to lie about the Queen they will lie about anything. EVIL.
Stephen Richards
What, Glitter is worse than Hitler now is he? What about TV showing kids eating junk food?
Tracey Simmonds
Dirty pervert doesnt deserve air time.
Sunny Bee
I agree, let it go. Haven't we more important fish to fry. How about the license fee being reduced by the beeb for all the repeats that get shown!
Adrian Wagstaff
I did not see the Gary Glitter program, I was computing instead. I have no complaint to make against the Gary Glitter program, whatsoever. If he wants to carry on singing, he can go ahead, so far as I could care. If you don't like watching him on TV, watch something more ... useful ... if you can find anything more useful. Perhaps, you would like to search through the television channels for something ... sensible? ... That would be what? ... Television news? ... Ha.
Nicola Anderson
rewriting history? isnt pretending he was never a singer doing exactly that?
Ian Black
they show Michael Jackson clips don't they?
Chris Carr
7:37am on 16/5/2012
Gary Glitter was a big part of the 70s Glam rock era. If we stop sjowing film of him are the BBC also to be banned from showing Catholic priests?