The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has expressed his profound "sadness and distress" at what he describes as an "appalling lack of religious literacy" within the BBC. The Church of England’s second most senior bishop criticised religious broadcasting at the public broadcaster, labelling it the "poor and underfunded relative."
Archbishop Cottrell asserted that religious and public service broadcasting serves as a "precious bulwark against polarisation" in a world he described as increasingly divided. His remarks were made during a discussion concerning a government document published in December, which outlined proposed changes to the BBC Charter ahead of its renewal at the end of 2027.
A consultation accompanying the paper questioned what types of programming the BBC should make more visible, listing religious programming alongside arts and international affairs as "under-served genres."
Speaking at a Religion Media Centre discussion on Tuesday, Mr Cottrell noted a decline in dedicated religious broadcasting at the corporation. He clarified his broader concern: "My concern is much more about the place of religion across the whole output of the BBC, rather than simply seeing it as religious broadcasting in that rather more narrow definition." He reiterated his dismay, stating: "So I note with sadness and some distress the sometimes appalling lack of religious literacy in so much of the BBC."
He argued for religion's crucial societal role, particularly in combating division. "When you think about, you know, the distressing polarisation of our society at the moment, the echo chambers within which people live and receive news and information," he observed. "I know it’s a hard thing to fight for – religious broadcasting and public service broadcasting – but I believe it is a precious bulwark against polarisation, intolerance, prejudice, chaos."
The Archbishop emphasised that "religion is a vital part of how millions and millions of people in Britain today get their belonging, their values, their purpose, their identity." He concluded his point by stating: "Religious broadcasting increasingly becomes the poor and underfunded relative in a BBC which I believe needs to be reminded of its core business."
However, Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK, offered a contrasting view, arguing that the BBC must reflect "the full reality of modern Britain, including the majority who are now non-religious." In response to Mr Cottrell’s comments, Mr Copson stated: "The BBC’s religion output, such as Thought For The Day, remains heavily weighted towards programmes ‘by believers for believers’, with no equivalent space for humanists and other non-religious people to speak directly about their ethical outlook and sense of meaning."
Mr Copson added: "If the BBC is to strengthen social cohesion, it should be genuinely inclusive. It must treat non-religious worldviews with equal respect and proportionate visibility, rather than sustaining one set of identities while excluding others." The BBC has been contacted for comment.
