The BBC has responded to complaints from viewers over an interview with Andrew Scott that aired during this year’s Baftas coverage.
Earlier this month, BBC News spoke to the All Of Us Strangers actor on the red carpet of the Baftas.
However, rather than speaking to Andrew about the fact he was there to present an award or his co-star Paul Mescal’s nomination, the BBC’s reporter instead pursued a line of questioning about Barry Keoghan’s Saltburn nude scene, which left the Fleabag star looking visibly uncomfortable.
While the clip was met with a backlash when it was posted online, the BBC revealed they had received complaints from viewers who felt the interview was not just “inappropriate”, but “homophobic”.
“Our reporter began by asking Andrew Scott about the film he’d appeared in – All of Us Strangers – which was nominated for six Baftas,” the BBC began in a statement shared on the broadcaster’s website. “He then moved on to ask about the popularity of Irish actors where Barry Keoghan, star of Saltburn, was mentioned.
“Saltburn is a film which has had cultural impact, with Barry Keoghan’s scene at the end gaining a lot of attention in particular – something the actor has addressed himself.
“Our question to Andrew Scott was meant to be a light hearted reflection of the discussion around the scene and was not intended to cause offence.
“Saltburn writer and director, Emerald Fennell, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, whose song Murder On The Dancefloor was used in the sequence, were also asked about the scene.”
However, the BBC went on to say that the “specific question” asked to Andrew at the Baftas was “misjudged”.
“After speaking with Andrew on the carpet, our reporter acknowledged on air that his questioning may have gone too far and that he was sorry if this was the case,” they added.
The BBC did not respond when contacted by HuffPost UK for comment following the interview.
During the ceremony, Andrew and his fellow All Of Us Strangers actor Paul Mescal presented the award for Best Animated Feature to the latest offering from Studio Ghibli, The Boy And The Heron.
Their film was nominated for six awards on the night, but ultimately went home empty-handed.