BBC "embarrassed" over Bob Marley mistake

The BBC has said it is "very embarrassed" after requesting an interview with the late music legend Bob Marley.

The request came in an email to the Marley Foundation asking the star to "spend one or two days with us" for a documentary about his hit song 'No Woman, No Cry.'

In the letter, the BBC explained that filming was due to take place in the summer but added: "Our schedule is flexible."

Marley died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36.

"We are obviously very embarrassed that we didn't realise that the letter to the Marley Foundation did not acknowledge that Mr Marley is no longer with us," said a BBC spokesman today.

"Because of the volume of approaches we have sent out this was a genuine mistake when a sentence in a standard letter was overlooked. The Marley Foundation has been extremely good humoured about this and we have apologised for the error."