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BBC's U-turn over disfigured newsreader

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Kathy Lacy was dropped for 'political' reasons

A woman with a facial disfigurement who was set to anchor a news bulletin was dropped at the last minute in an embarrassing U-turn by the BBC.

  In a move trumpeted by the corportation, Kathy Lacy, from Farningham near Dartford, was due to deliver the BBC South East afternoon bulletin on Wednesday.

But she was dropped at the 11th hour after bosses decided she could be seen as “political”.

  Miss Lacy, who is in her 60s, was born with neurofibromatosis – a genetic condition that means the sheaths surrounding nerve endings erupt through the skin, causing lumps all over her body.

  She works for the charity Changing Faces, and her appearance on the news was to form part of an Inside Out documentary examining attitudes towards facial disfigurement.

  The corporation had publicised the appearance with a widely circulated press release entitled ‘Kent woman takes BBC South East news challenge to smash facial disfigurement prejudice’.

  The release quoted Inside Out producer Vince Rogers, who said: “We suggested Kathy challenged the prejudices head-on by becoming a South East Today newsreader for the day. I know we are taking a bit of chance having someone coming in straight off the street and into the studio but I think Kathy is up to the job.”

  Miss Lacy had been attending rehearsals throughout the week leading up to the broadcast, but was told on Tuesday afternoon she would not be fronting the news programme.

  She said: “When I got there on Tuesday everyone was very busy and I went out an got a coffee, when I returned they took me to one side and said they were terribly sorry.

  “I had put a huge amount of work into it and I was so excited about doing it, so I was very disappointed.

  “I have to say I think it is very sad, it seems news readers have to be automatons.”

  She said that she did not believe the decision had anything to do with her facial disfigurement.

  “If that was so it would be confirming people’s prejudice about having people who aren’t beautiful and immaculate being in the public eye,” she added. “I don’t think that was it, it had more to do with my involvement with Changing Faces – it was seen as a vested interest.

  “I just hope with all the cut backs the BBC are making they do not cancel Inside Out and other current affairs programmes. I think it would be wicked if they did.”

  A BBC spokesman said the appearance was pulled because the corporation could have been seen to be “purporting to support a political issue”.

  She said: “Bulletins should be completely impartial because they are giving information, using it in that way could affect news balance.

  “The decision was taken quite late in the day, but it does not mean Kathy will appear. She is involved in the Inside Out documentary, and will also be delivering a report to camera for the series.”

POSTED: 21/10/2007 09:00:00

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