Mayo: 'BBC is marginalising religion'

Simon Mayo has expressed concern that the BBC is pushing religious coverage and topics to the margins of its output.

Mayo, who will replace Chris Evans today as presenter of BBC Radio 2's Drivetime show, claimed that issues connected to religious beliefs are not being fairly dealt with by the corporation.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, for which he recently become a regular columnist, Mayo said: "I've just listened to David Tennant on Desert Island Discs. His father was a minister and that was seen to be a problem [by show presenter Kirsty Young]. Religion is increasingly driven to the margin.

"I was listening to a BBC News bulletin during Easter 2008 about services to mark 'the rebirth of Christ', a line clearly written by someone who had no contact with or understanding of the concept of resurrection. My brother works for the BBC religious affairs unit and told him I couldn't believe it."

Last May, the BBC received 115 complaints after it appointed Channel 4 executive Aaqil Ahmed, a non-Christian, as its new head of religion and ethics.

However, the corporation stressed at the time that "Christians are and will remain the key audience for the BBC's religious television output".