The BBC is facing fresh accusations of bias after a pro-migrant charity held meetings with producers of a children's programme. The publicly funded broadcaster has come under scrutiny following revelations that the charity Heard, which aims to change British attitudes towards asylum seekers, engaged with the team behind the CBBC comedy show Pickle Storm.
Charity Influence on Children's Content
According to reports, Heard lobbied the producers of Pickle Storm, a show aimed at children aged around seven, to impact the framing of migration in the series. The charity was allegedly involved in the development of the second series, which is set for release in 2025. The show follows an alien named Pickle who seeks refuge in the fictional British town of Middlington after escaping persecution on her home planet Kleftania.
Heard's Claims and BBC Response
In a now-deleted annual report, Heard stated: 'We brought together nine media professionals and five of our network members to provide insight and inspiration for the upcoming series of CBBC children's programme Pickle Storm. As a result, the team at Pickle Storm shared that they edited the entire second series. This interaction was part of our initiative to tap into children's media and directly impact framing of migration in children's content.'
The report also quoted a CBBC producer as saying: 'All your young contributors were terrific – articulate, smart, honest and delightful – and it really will inform our writing of the second series.'
The BBC has defended its actions, stating: 'The BBC has full editorial control over all its content. It is common practice across the media industry to engage with charities, among others, for research purposes and to help understand different perspectives when working on programmes or news stories. However, the BBC has strict guidelines to ensure impartiality and editorial independence.'
Wider Impact on TV Programming
The same charity also worked with ITV on the soap opera Coronation Street, helping to shape the storyline of Iraqi asylum seeker Daryan, who was attacked by a far-right character in 2022. ITV confirmed the meeting but said the character idea predated the liaison.
The Telegraph investigation revealed that millions of pounds were injected into such productions, with large sums coming from left-wing foundations, and claimed that taxpayers sometimes foot the bill.
