Yahoo Finance Have I Got New For You: Fin Taylor criticised for joke about ‘bombing’ Jeremy Corbyn fans
Have I Got News For You has come under fire for including a joke about "bombing" Jeremy Corbyn fans.
Comedian Fin Taylor appeared on the long-running BBC panel show in Friday night’s episode (20 November). It was guest hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell.
In the episode, which also featured Labour’s Joan Bakewell, Taylor said that he "only hates Corbyn so much because of his fans”.
Taylor continued: “People who like Corbyn – what, it’s 200,000 people in the Labour party that are fanatics? So, all you’ve gotta do is, next year, bomb Glastonbury.”
Ian Hislop then commented: “Well, that’s the end of your career.”
Viewers weren’t impressed with Taylor’s joke, arguing that it had gone too far.
Dawn Foster wrote on Twitter: “Comedian Fin Taylor says he hates Corbyn supporters and would bomb 200,000 of them at Glastonbury, then “Ooh my week on Twitter will be fun.” Desperately sad, courting controversy cos no one’s heard of you.”
Another wrote: "HIGNFY isn't broadcast live. The production staff, parent company, BBC officials and BBC lawyers all saw an endorsement of killing hundreds of thousands of socialists and were a-ok with it being broadcast.”
“How does a comedian think it’s ok to joke about bombing a field full of people?” one concerned viewer added.
Joan Bakewell claims Corbyn “broke the law” on Have I Got News for You” & comedian Fin Taylor says he hates Corbyn supporters and would bomb 200,000 of them at Glastonbury, then “Ooh my week on Twitter will be fun.” Desperately sad, courting controversy cos no one’s heard of you.
— Dawn Foster (@DawnHFoster) November 20, 2020
For most it's unacceptable to 'joke' about wanting to bomb an event where followers of a political party, faith or race you don't like, gather. However, suggest bombing Glastonbury so as to kill 1000's of young Corbyn supporters @BBC will feature you on Have I got news for you!
— Dicky Cummerband 😷 (@DickyCummerband) November 21, 2020
Well, @FinTaylorcomedy saying he wants to bomb Glastonbury to get rid of all the Corbyn ‘fanatics’ on #hignfy was so completely unfunny not even the Corbyn hating panel laughed. No wonder I’ve never heard of him, if he’s going to make comments like that on tv.
— 𝐉𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐱™️ (@BeckySnowden92) November 20, 2020
The BBC has declined to comment.
Corbyn appeared at Glastonbury Festival in 2017, delivering a keynote speech that was attended by tens of thousands of people.
The crowd watched on chanting his name to the tune of White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”.
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