Graham Norton’s comment complaints: BBC’s response
Posted on May 23, 2009 by Toplica
We understand you were unhappy with Graham Norton’s comments about Albania.
For clarification, Graham made the following comments: ‘The bad news is you’re about to watch Albania. In every Eurovision there’s a moment when you go…what! You may think you’ve had that moment, trust me you haven’t! Kejsi Tola is representing Albania, singing Carry Me In Your Dreams. She’s only 17 so please bear that in mind, she wasn’t strong enough to tell the people she didn’t want these creatures on stage with her! But where was her mother? Why didn’t she step in and say no?’
From watching the clip we feel that it seems consistent with his comments on the other countries’ performances.
We feel that Graham was referring to the act and not being critical of the country. He didn’t like the outfits the dancers were wearing.
The commentary was tongue in cheek and not intended to be offensive or xenophobic and on this occasion we don’t feel it was either.
Nevertheless we appreciate your views and we’d like to assure you that we’ve registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.
Thanks again for taking the time to contact us with your concerns.
Regards
BBC Complaints
Comments (4)
I read both articles, but one wouldn’t know which one to believe. I’m sure Graham Norton had a bad experience with an Albanian, that is why he is so against it I presume. One wouldn’t know, but seeing that the BBC has taken this matter seriously, I just hope action will be taken to resolve this issue.
this sound a bit wqeird commi9ng from an irish yet a gay besically he thinks he is maikning people lough on tv they are only loghing at him he is right about the age but to cndem a country you wouldnt mind this comming from a german not an irish d……;
Nuk mendoj se komentet e Graham Norton duhet marre kaq seriozisht sa te kerkojme falje publike nga prezantuesi. Per ata qe e kan ndjekur me para kete festival kenge, e kuptojne shume mire se komentatori (T Wagon) gjithmone ka patur kete stil komentimi. Personalisht nuk ndjehem i ofenduar fare, sepse ishte thjesht nje pershkrim i nje kenge dhe nje performance, dhe jo Shqiperise apo Shqiptarve.
I think that Mr Graham Norton shouldn’t be that worried for “where singer’s mum is”. As per his comments referring to the act, I do truly believe that the great English language has a lot of nice ways to express that, rather than saying the “The bad news is you’re about to watch Albania”.
I have been living for a long time in this great country, so I had the chance to hear his comments of Euro vision every year and I never heard him making such comments for any other country, or being worried about contestants performance, age or their mums.
In other side I do not really believe that his comments represents the lovely British public opinion about Albania, so I would kindly ask him to comply with the majority of British public opinion in this matter and if not at least let him keep his feelings inside and not to express in a great live show such as Euro vision.