BBC News defends Sir Elton baby report

The BBC has defended its decision to air an interview with a supporter of state-sponsored execution of gay men, arguing that the contribution was to give balance to news coverage of the birth of Sir Elton John's son.

On Tuesday, the BBC's News At Six bulletin featured a report on the birth of Sir Elton's first child with his partner David Furnish on Christmas Day.

The piece also featured an interview with Stephen Green, of right-wing group Christian Voice, who has previously supported the proposed death penalty for gay men in Uganda, reports the Pink News.

In the interview, which was repeated later on the BBC News channel, Green claimed that the baby was a "designer accessory" for Sir Elton, and said that depriving the child of its natural mother was "an act of pure selfishness".

The contribution of Green caused controversy among viewers, but a BBC spokesman said that it was included to reflect the wider debate on surrogacy for gay couples.

The spokesman said: "The practice of surrogacy is a sensitive subject and remains controversial in some quarters.

"Our short news bulletin featured Elton John talking about wanting to have a child and an opposing viewpoint. All sides of the debate on surrogacy have been widely reported in the news media and our coverage has reflected this."

In August, the BBC Trust dismissed complaints against a BBC News online discussion headline on the anti-homosexuality bill being proposed in Uganda, which controversially asked, "Should homosexuals face execution?"