Liam and Noel Gallagher have reportedly forced BBC bosses to take down a star-studded World Cup tribute video set to the Oasis stars’ hit song, Wonderwall. The clip features famous faces like Maya Jama, Stephen Fry, Claudia Winkleman and Micah Richards singing along to the anthem, which became synonymous with England’s wins during the tournament.
The broadcaster had hoped the footage would go viral, but some critics described it as a “car crash” and found it “excruciating,” The Sun reported. The Gallaghers’ legal team reportedly demanded its removal as the corporation allegedly hadn’t sought the correct permissions to use it on social media.
Insider Claims BBC ‘Dropped an Enormous Ball’
“The BBC dropped an enormous ball with the Oasis video as it caused a riot,” an insider told The Sun. “BBC Sport saw all the traction Wonderwall was getting and decided to spend a lot of time, and a fair bit of cash, getting all these stars to sing or speak along. Their idea was it would go viral but instead Oasis's legal team shot it down.”
The insider added: “Apparently the BBC didn't seek the correct permissions to use the song on social media so they didn't have a leg to stand on.”
BBC Sport Boss Reportedly Fought Removal
BBC Sport boss Alex Kay-Jelski reportedly tried to fight Oasis’ demands to remove the video but failed in his efforts. Other stars that appeared in the clip included Sara Cox, Michael McIntyre, Emma Raducanu, Ross Kemp and Lee Mack. The Standard has contacted the BBC and Oasis for comment.
Wonderwall became an anthem for England during this year's world cup, with players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham belting out the lyrics after each win. Liam even teased Kane for losing his voice in a post-match interview after blaring out the song.
Oasis Documentary Trailer Released
The furore comes as Oasis released the trailer for their documentary, Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger. It follows the Gallaghers as they undertake their Live 25 tour, which kicked off a year ago in Cardiff. The trailer, released by Disney Plus on Tuesday, starts by playing audio of news reports and the brothers speaking about their infamous feuding.
At the same time, both old and new footage of them rehearsing and performing plays. It then cuts to Liam referencing their 2009 split: “The way it finished, unacceptable. It didn’t sit right with me, man.” His older brother then says: “I just don’t see myself on stage with Liam. I don’t really want to be going back with the tension; will it fall apart again?”
The two-minute trailer then shows a priest giving a sermon about forgiveness, with Noel saying their long-awaited reunion is “one of the biggest moments in our lives”. However, Liam then says: “I feel like I’m exercising demons getting it all out. Rage. Just pure anger… I need to calm the f*** down.”
A montage shows fans at their shows across the world in countries including Wales, Brazil and Argentina. The Oasis documentary was created by Steven Knight and directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace. Set to be released in cinemas on September 9, and also on Disney Plus, the streaming service has teased that the documentary follows the Gallaghers’ “triumphant reunion tour”.
