Stephen Nolan rejects claims about BBC staff being planted in audience to create on-air rows

Broadcaster Stephen Nolan has rejected claims that he had any knowledge of, or involvement in, the planting of BBC staff in the audience for one of his television shows to create on-air rows.

The Irish News reported earlier this week that employees were deliberately placed in a “bear pit” in the audience during Nolan Live episodes to either stoke controversy or identify “someone feisty”. It alleged that the codename “ra ra” was used to mean delivering a row on air.

The SDLP called on the BBC to investigate the “very serious” allegations which, if true, it said would “fall far below the standards expected of a public broadcaster”.

The BBC rejected the allegations, saying the “claims that have been made about BBC staff contributing to Nolan Live discussions whilst pretending to be members of the public are highly improbable”. It said it was “aware of no evidence to support such allegations or the breach of editorial controls that they would have involved”.

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“If such information is made available to us (and it hasn’t been to date) then it will be quickly and thoroughly investigated,” the corporation said.

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Commenting for the first time since a number of allegations were made by the newspaper, Nolan said “any suggestion that I had any knowledge whatsoever of, or participation in, the planting of BBC staff into a Nolan audience is categorically untrue”.

“I have instructed Paul Tweed, my lawyer, to take appropriate legal action as soon as possible,” he said in a social media post on Thursday.

The BBC has faced criticism since the Irish News reported on Tuesday that the presenter, who is one of the broadcaster’s highest-paid stars, was investigated by the BBC and “appropriate action” taken after he sent sexually explicit images to colleagues. It also reported that he was the subject of a bullying claim that was not upheld.

Nolan has not yet responded to these claims.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell said the reports highlighted “significant, multilayered issues” and deserved a “full response” from the BBC.

A Sinn Féin spokesperson said “very serious questions” had been raised for BBC management “which need to be answered candidly”.

“The BBC and the Nolan Show, in particular, must live up to the openness and accountability they routinely demand of others,” the party said.

In response, a BBC spokeswoman said the corporation had “established and robust processes in place to deal with any workplace-related issues, concerns and allegations”.

“We take any allegation that we receive seriously because staff welfare is a priority,” it said. “However, we don’t publicly comment on individual staffing matters as there are important considerations of fairness and confidentiality involved in the handling of all workplace-related complaints.”

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The Irish News also alleged that members of the Nolan team circulated derogatory comments about politicians, including the former Sinn Féin minister and MEP Martina Anderson, whose lawyers have asked the BBC to supply any personal data it holds relating to her under the Data Protection Act.

Nolan presents the most-listened to show on BBC Radio Ulster, has a weekly programme on BBC Radio Five Live and also presents television shows for BBC Northern Ireland. He is the BBC’s fifth-highest-paid presenter – after Gary Lineker, Zoe Ball, Alan Shearer and Huw Edwards – with a salary of between £400,000 and £404,999 in 2022-2023.

His shows often set the agenda in Northern Ireland with investigations and combative interviews.

Sinn Féin has boycotted his Radio Ulster show for several years. The SDLP followed suit in March, citing concern about editorial balance, after Nolan halted an interview with the party’s Stormont assembly member Matthew O’Toole. Additional reporting – The Guardian.