WOKE BBC bosses could thwart a fresh bid to finally get Fairytale of New York to the Christmas number one spot – 38 years after it was released.
The corporation’s radio stations refusing to play a newly released ‘live’ version of The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York because it contains the “cheap, lousy f****t” lyric.
The track by the Irish rockers, originally released in 1987, is one of several vintage festive tracks that only reached number two in the charts, despite becoming classic anthems
Another example is White Christmas by Wham! which was kept off the number one spot by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas in 1984.
But fans finally got that to the top spot in 2023.
Fairytale has long been surrounded by controversy because it contains a perceived homophobic slur which has either been removed in some versions or not played at all.
A music industry insider said: “It feels unfair that this live version which shouldn’t be edited has now been barred from the Beeb’s playlist.
“It’s an authentic performance of a much loved track by a much loved band and this move might be the measure that prevents it from getting to number one at Christmas, which is where it has always deserved to be.”
The original single was only kept from the top spot by Pet shop Boys classic Always On My Mind, which was a high-energy cover version of the Elvis Presley ballad.
Despite always making it into the top ten every Christmas, and featuring in the 2019 festive special of Gavin & Stacey, it’s never made it to number one.
The BBC were approached for comment.