Yahoo News BBC questioned over edit of Derry Girls star's BAFTA speech
The BBC has been criticised for editing Derry Girls actress Siobhán McSweeney's acceptance speech during last night's BAFTA Television Awards.
The star won the award for Best Female Comedy Performance for her role as Sister Michael in the Channel 4 sitcom.
In her speech, as it aired on the BAFTA's official YouTube channel, she said: "I'm going to be quick because it has to be to the people of Derry.
"Thank you for taking me into your hearts and your living rooms, I am daily impressed with how you encompass the spirit of compromise and resilience despite the indignities, ignorance and stupidity of your so-called leaders in Dublin, Stormont and Westminster.
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"In the words of my beloved Sister Michael, it's time they started to wise up. Thank you so much."
In the BBC edit, she said: "I'm going to be quick because it has to be to the people of Derry. Thank you for taking me into your hearts and your living rooms. Thank you so much."
In a Twitter thread started by a comparison of the two versions of the speech, people called the editing "censorship" and removing "the whole essence and body" of the speech, with another asking why 10 seconds of applause couldn't get cut instead. One tweeter argued that it had to be removed to avoid bias.
Related: Derry Girls and Ted Lasso stars Siobhán McSweeney and Hannah Waddingham team up for new comedy
Digital Spy has reached out to the BBC for comment and received the following statement: "As in previous years, due to the nature of the show it is broadcast with a short delay, and while we always aim to keep the core sentiment of acceptance speeches, edits have to be made due to time constraints."
Those time constraints refer to the BBC having a two-hour timeslot to show the BAFTAs, while the ceremony itself is three hours. Whether the edited speech kept the "core sentiment" of McSweeney's speech is likely to continue being debated.
Following her win, McSweeney told Digital Spy and other press outlets that she doesn't expect Derry Girls to come back anytime soon.
Derry Girls streams in full on Channel 4, while the first two series are streaming on Netflix.
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