BBC Radio 1 insiders defend decision to play ‘alternative version’ of Fairytale of New York without ‘sl*t’ and f***ot’ in – ‘because young audiences are ‘particularly sensitive’ to the ‘stark’ language in the original

BBC Radio 2 will still play the uncensored version of Fairytale of New York despite Radio 1 using an ‘alternative version’ to avoid offending younger audiences who are ‘particularly sensitive’ to derogatory terms for gender and sexuality. 

The station decided to edit the words ‘f***ot’ and ‘sl*t’ from the track – sung by Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl in 1987. 

The lyrics appears in the Radio 1’s version in 2019, but this year an older version will be played in which MacColl sings ‘haggard’ rather than ‘f***ot’. The word ‘sl*t’ will be muted. 

The 1987 original will still be played on Radio 2, while 6 Music DJs can choose between the two versions. 

Read more: BBC Radio 1 insiders defend decision to play ‘alternative version’ of Fairytale of New York without ‘sl*t’ and f***ot’ in – ‘because young audiences are ‘particularly sensitive’ to the ‘stark’ language in the original