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Radio 4 defends David Mitchell Anne Frank joke

The commissioning editor has defended airing the Peep Show comedian's controversial Anne Frank comments.

November 13, 2009 15:50
David Mitchell: The Peep Show star has defended the joke he made about Anne Frank

ByRobyn Rosen, Robyn Rosen

1 min read

The BBC Radio 4 commissioning editor responsible for comedy has defended the decision to air comedian David Mitchell’s controversial comments about Anne Frank.

In today’s Feedback programme, Caroline Raphael said she did not regret the decision to broadcast the comment made on quiz show, The Unbelievable Truth, earlier this month.

Mr Mitchell, who chairs the programme, said that Anne Frank’s last diary entry was: “It’s my birthday and dad bought me a drum kit.”

The BBC received almost 50 complaints about the comment, which Gillian Walnes, executive director of the Anne Frank Trust, called “thoughtless” and “offensive”.