The BBC has removed 11 sketches from the comedy series That Mitchell and Webb Look following its recent return to BBC iPlayer. The British broadcaster reinstated the 20-year-old sketch show, produced by BBC Studios and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, to mark its anniversary. Eagle-eyed users on Reddit first flagged that multiple segments had been expunged from the platform.
BBC Removes 11 Sketches From That Mitchell and Webb Look on iPlayer
According to a BBC spokesperson, the cuts were made after consulting with the programme makers. The spokesperson stated that out of a 20-year-old sketch show, the broadcaster included the material that still works today and left out the parts that do not.
Specific Cuts and Content
Among the removed segments is a sketch featuring English Civil War re-enactors who grow bored of their roles and decide to recreate a conflict between government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo and a rebel militia. In the scene, David Mitchell asks if the re-enactment is racist, and the characters agree to stop at the first sign of racism. When one threatens the other with a machete, they halt the roleplay and conclude that the scenario is racist.
Another cut sketch parodies a makeover show and features Robert Webb and Olivia Colman confronting a woman in a burqa. The scene cuts to Webb discussing whether the segment is offensive before the woman removes her garment to reveal Mitchell in blackface.
Industry Reactions and Precedent
Comedian Dom Joly questioned the BBC’s actions in an interview with The Times, describing the decision as “hysterical censorship.” Joly stated that while he understands removing content that genuinely encourages racism, Mitchell and Webb’s intent was clearly not racist.
Jimmy Mulville, co-founder of Hat Trick Productions, told The Times that the corporation occupies an impossible position. However, Mulville cautioned that producers must be careful to ensure such removals do not become “the thin end of a wedge where we cut things out.”
This revision aligns with previous actions by the broadcaster as societal standards shift. The BBC previously removed Matt Lucas and David Walliams’ comedy series Little Britain from iPlayer, Netflix, and BritBox in 2020 following objections over characters portraying people from different ethnic backgrounds. Little Britain has since returned to iPlayer with certain sketches edited out.