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The Royle Family: BBC hits back over criticism of ‘woke’ label on controversial episode

An extra warning on an episode using the term 'nancy boy'

BBC series The Royle Family carries a warning about ‘discriminatory’ language when viewers watch one particular episode on iPlayer.

And after several publications and a number of viewers criticised the label on the popular sitcom and branded it ‘woke’, the BBC has hit back.

Jim in the BBC series The Royle Family
The BBC has added an extra warning to an episode of The Royle Family (Credit: BBC)
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Which episode of The Royle Family carries the discriminatory warning?

The tag is on episode three, series two, in which Jim (Ricky Tomlinson’s character) makes a comment about TV’s Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

While watching the telly with his wife Barbara (Sue Townsend), Jim calls the former Changing Rooms presenter a “nancy boy”.

Read more: Meghan Markle may need to rein in ‘woke’ speeches for sake of Prince Harry, says royal expert

There was already a warning about adult humour in place.

However, the episode also has an extra tag warning viewers that it “contains discriminatory language which some viewers may find offensive”.

Jim in the BBC series The Royle Family
Some viewers slammed the decision, branding it ‘woke’ (Credit: BBC)

What did The Royle Family fans say?

On Twitter, a number of viewers aired their frustration with the discriminatory language warning.

One fumed: “Ffs this country and some people are pathetic.”

Another tweeted simply: “Woke Britain.”

A third branded it: “Woke, politically correct [bleep].”

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
The episode contained a remark about Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (Credit: Sue Andrews / FameFlynet.uk.com / SplashNews.com)

How did the BBC respond?

The BBC, however, has stuck by its decision to put an additional warning over the episode.

A spokesperson for the Beeb argued that the warning isn’t about any one particular “scene or phrase”.

This isn’t about one scene or phrase. Some older programmes… contain language that some find offensive.

They said in a statement: “This isn’

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Ricky Tomlinson at an event

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Nancy Brown
Editor

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