The BBC has apologized for a second time after a racial slur was aired during two Newsbeat bulletins on Monday. The incident involved a song by American rapper Childish Gambino, used as a soundtrack for reports on The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Racial Slur Broadcast on Newsbeat

Listeners to BBC Radio heard the offensive term during the 12:45pm and 5:45pm Newsbeat bulletins. These bulletins are specifically designed for a younger audience and are broadcast across Radio 1, 1Xtra, and the Asian Network.

The BBC stated that the wrong version of the song was selected and that established procedures were not followed. The clip has been removed from the BBC Sounds platform, and staff have been reminded of the correct editing processes.

Similar Incident at BAFTA Awards

This latest incident follows a controversy at the BAFTA Awards weeks earlier. Disability campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourette’s Syndrome, involuntarily shouted the same racial slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award.

BAFTA's Response and Davidson's Apology

Despite the broadcast not being live, BAFTA and the BBC received criticism for failing to edit the slur from the recording. Davidson himself expressed deep remorse, stating that the outburst did not reflect his personal beliefs and issued a further apology for any distress caused.

The BBC has described the recent error as an “appalling oversight in the edit suite.” Davidson, who was at the BAFTAs representing his film about living with Tourette’s, had been assured that any swearing would be edited out and questioned why he was positioned near a microphone.

He has received both criticism and support from the Tourette’s community and expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown. Davidson also revealed that his bicycle was stolen during the same week.

BBC Reviewing Procedures

The BBC has confirmed that senior editors have been informed and the team involved has been reminded of the proper procedures to prevent similar incidents. The repeated occurrence of these issues highlights the need for improved quality control and a more robust system for identifying and removing potentially offensive content.