A BBC radio DJ is refusing to play The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s Fairytale of New York after telling the listeners he is “no longer comfortable” playing the festive favourite.
BBC Radio Solent disc jockey Alex Dyke told listeners: "I hope I’m not going to ruin your Christmas, but I’ve decided that I am no longer comfortable with playing Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.”
"I think Christmas songs should be about excited children, toys, Christmas trees, snowy streets, ski lodges, reindeer, wrapping paper, Santa, family, peace on earth and love,” he added. “I just find the Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’ a nasty, nasty song."
Prior to the announcement, Dyke had taken to Twitter to controversially describe the song as “downmarket chav bilge”.
In the since-deleted tweet, the 57-year-old wrote:
"Radio, let’s ban Fairytale Of New York this Christmas! ‘You’re a slut on junk, you scumbag, cheap lousy f****t’ – is this what we want our kids singing in the back of the car? It’s an offensive pile of downmarket chav bilge. We can do better!"
The Pogues’ singer Shane MacGowan has previously spoken out in defence of the lyrics featured in the song.
Last December, the Irish songwriter issued a statement explaining that the use of the f-word in the song was never intended to be homophobic.
"The word was used by the character because it fitted with the way she would speak and with her character," he said.
"She is not supposed to be a nice person, or even a wholesome person. She is a woman of a certain generation at a certain time in history and she is down on her luck and desperate."
