The BBC has removed 11 sketches from the acclaimed comedy series "That Mitchell and Webb Look" from its iPlayer streaming service, with the broadcaster stating that the material "no longer work today."
The decision was made in consultation with the program makers, David Mitchell and Robert Webb, according to a BBC spokesman. The comedy, which ran for four seasons between 2006 and 2010, recently returned to iPlayer to mark its 20th anniversary.
Among the removed sketches are reportedly scenes involving the comedy duo satirizing racism while in blackface, a sketch about a contestant wearing a burqa on a makeover show, and a segment featuring a "tribe" living in a garden center. Other excised material is said to include a joke referencing Jimmy Savile and an impersonation of the late chef Gary Rhodes making homophobic remarks.
"This is a 20-year-old sketch show; in consultation with the programme makers, we have included the ones that still work today and not the ones that don't," the BBC spokesman said.
"That Mitchell and Webb Look" originated from a Radio 4 show titled "That Mitchell and Webb Sound," which began in 2003 and won a Bafta for best comedy program in 2007. Mitchell and Webb also gained prominence for their roles in the Channel 4 sitcom "Peep Show."
Fellow comedian Dom Joly defended the duo's intent, telling The Times that the sketches were not intended to be racist and questioned the BBC's decision as "censorship." Jimmy Mulville, co-founder of Hat Trick Productions, acknowledged the BBC's difficult position but urged caution against what he called "the thin end of a wedge where we cut things out."
This action follows a trend of broadcasters reviewing and editing older content. In 2020, the BBC removed "Little Britain" from iPlayer, Netflix, and BritBox due to objections over characters portraying people from different ethnic backgrounds. While "Little Britain" has since returned to iPlayer, some sketches were also removed from that series.