BBC releases statement after journalist uses racial slur in news report

In a voice-over, the journalist told viewers: "Just to warn you you're about to hear highly offensive language because as the men ran away they hurled racial abuse... calling him a n***er."

In a statement about the broadcast, a spokesperson for the BBC said: “This was a story about a shocking unprovoked attack on a young black man. His family told the BBC about the racist language used by the attackers and wanted to see the full facts made public."

They continued: "A warning was given before this was reported. We are no longer running this version of the report but are continuing to pursue the story.”

The report, which aired this morning, described the Bristol attack in addition to a colleague's witness statement, which says that the suspects called the injured NHS worker a "f**king n***er" before running from the car that they hit him with.

Viewers of the BBC report took to Twitter to criticise the reporter's use of the offensive word, with one user writing: "A white reporter just said the N word on BBC News...am I hearing this correctly?" Another wrote about how they were "absolutely flabbergasted" at the news reporter's choice of language, adding: "Have they apologised for this disgusting behaviour?"

Channel 4 presenter Scarlette Douglas also tweeted in reaction to the broadcast, writing: "Why did she have to say it? What happened to 'The N Word' I'm sorry but who was behind this and who deemed it acceptable?"

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