The BBC is facing criticism for self-censoring its Asia broadcast of the first episode of the new Doctor Who series by cutting a lesbian kiss scene, South China Morning Post reports:
Thousands of fans missed out on the kiss between lizard-woman Madame Vastra and her human wife Jenny Flint, which the BBC says was cut to comply with broadcasting regulations in Asia.
Local gay-rights groups called the edit "outrageous" and "scandalous" and said it was unfair not to treat the kiss the same as a kiss between a man and a woman.
The BBC Worldwide's London-based compliance team made the cut to conform with laws against homosexuality and broadcast content codes in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Daily Mail adds:
Campaigner Peter Tatchell said: ‘The BBC should not bow to censorship demands from other countries.
'If these countries are bigoted and are not willing to show same-sex love, they have no right to demand that the BBC conforms to their standards of prejudice.'
Last week we reported that the scene - featuring the first same-sex kiss for Doctor Who in its 50-year history – drew the ire of some anti-gay viewers in the UK.
Watch the 'controversial' scene in question, AFTER THE JUMP…
