Home / Arts and Entertainment / BBC Upholds Complaint Over Ryan's Beckham Joke
BBC Upholds Complaint Over Ryan's Beckham Joke
25 Sep
Summary
- BBC upheld complaints about Katherine Ryan's offensive joke.
- The joke likened Victoria Beckham to an offensive word.
- The offensive comment will be removed from BBC iPlayer.
The BBC has upheld viewer complaints concerning a joke made by comedian Katherine Ryan about Victoria Beckham during her hosting of Have I Got News For You last year. The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit described the quip as "gratuitously offensive" and unjustified, noting it presented Victoria Beckham as equivalent to a highly offensive word. This specific remark will be removed from the episode available on BBC iPlayer.
Katherine Ryan humorously reacted to the ruling, questioning the decision and noting her own postpartum state at the time of filming. She suggested that if the joke had been about a male comedian, it might have been received differently. Ryan also shared a screenshot of a private message she allegedly sent to Victoria Beckham, apologizing for the remark and explaining it was intended as a lighthearted, throwaway comment.
This situation arose when discussing leaked emails purportedly sent by David Beckham in 2013. Ryan's comment was made months before she publicly supported David and Victoria Beckham in January 2026 during a publicized family dispute with their eldest son, Brooklyn, and his wife, Nicola. It appears Victoria Beckham and Katherine Ryan have not met in person.
