Calum Brough

Calum Brough

@calumbroughingham.bsky.social

(He/Him) Dilletante and biology enthusiast. I do bits and bobs of writing and editing and some autism advocacy. Fairly Gay.

110 followers94 following1.7K posts

Calum Brough reposted

merman hellville
@seafoamghost.bsky.social

VERY interesting as we head into poppy month

Leicester Gazette@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

Calum Brough reposted

Hell Frasier: Bloodline
@babadooknukem.bsky.social

We tried "everyone is entitled to an opinion" for three straight decades and all we have to show for it is four thousand cases of measles and a death cult running the government. It's time for people who don't know what they're talking about to shut the fuck up.

Calum Brough reposted

Molly Scott Cato
@greenpartymolly.bsky.social

Depressing to hear the BBC propagating the non-story started by the Tories about the possibility of power cuts because of renewables A classic fossil fuel lie being given credibility by our public service broadcaster #BBCR4Today

Calum Brough reposted

Adrian Tchaikovsky
@aptshadow.bsky.social

While I'm shouting at clouds, UK gov telling everyone to stockpile for climate-change-driven emergencies while fast-forwarding fossil fuel drilling is... I had thought it was the government's responsibility to fix problems, not cause problems and then tell us to deal with the fallout at our expense.

Calum Brough reposted

George Monbiot
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Approving the Jackdaw gas field solves none of our problems, while contributing to the existential crisis of climate breakdown. The government has privileged special interests above the general interest. It's a shameful, cowardly decision.

Calum Brough reposted

Tristan Grayford
@tristangrayford.scot

The Scottish Greens have two leaders, why is Polanski the one getting a platform from a Scottish paper on this Scottish issue?

The National@scotnational.bsky.social

LIVE at 1pm: Editor Laura Webster is joined by Zack Polanski, Green Party of England and Wales leader, and SNP MSP Jack Middleton, to discuss Labour's approval of new North Sea gas drilling. Join the conversation www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjV...

Calum Brough reposted

francis futurama
@cheapneonshades.coys.social

Replying to @dildo-baggins.bsky.social

that's apparently exactly what happened to danny trejo. wouldn't surprise me if that's just ben's MO now

Ant@agramuglia.bsky.social

So Danny Trejo was manipulated and tricked into being in Ben Shapiro's newest film. Holy shit.

Calum Brough reposted

Michael Fry
@bigdirtyfry.bsky.social

The first season of Heroes is incredible TV and then they opened season two in “Ireland” and the less we say about that the better.

Nev Fountain@nevfountain.bsky.social

What TV show got so bad it effectively destroyed your appreciation for the show when it was was good?

Calum Brough
@calumbroughingham.bsky.social

Can the Scottish greens just stand MPs in the same seats as EW greens already?

Jess O'Thomson@jessothomson.co.uk

Quite tragic to see the political party which had been one of the most steadfast in defence of my own minority community step on this completely avoidable rake.

Calum Brough reposted

jess m. ☕🍂
@jametc.bsky.social

Something AI is responsible for that doesn't get enough talk: How, when it scrapes a website to illegally steal everything on it, it uses up a ton of its bandwidth allotment, crashing it or racking up massive fees for site owners.

Edd Coates | Game UI Database@eddcoates.bsky.social

Yet again, the Game UI Database is being scraped to the point that it's getting knocked offline. Even Cloudflare's "I'm under attack" mode isn't working. I just wanted to create a resource for real designers. I'm getting so fucking sick of this.

Calum Brough reposted

Freda Wallace She/Ra
@missfreda.bsky.social

S.Peggie loses on every point apart from the administrative failures of NHS systems. GC lawyers have wasted NHS time and resources for a vanity project with net-zero result for them or Peggie. The aim is never to win legally but use the story to lobby politically through media.

Calum Brough reposted

Mike Ginn
@shutupmikeginn.bsky.social

porn is so deeply misogynistic. i just watched a video with dozens of performers going at it, and they literally hadn’t bothered to hire a single woman.

Calum Brough reposted

Z. BoogeyMann Zilla, Semi-Pro Ghoulball
@pandangit.com

Replying to @pandangit.com

So many boomer woes come from "tradition" and "family values" as spackle over cruel abusive self-excusing behavior. Now they're upset because the spackle isn't doing what it said on the tin. They expect their kids to tank years of abuse, but can't tank hours of therapy or even minutes of remorse.

Calum Brough reposted

more mr. spice guy
@juniorhoncho.bsky.social

remember how people debated if the dog in Good Boy was an actor? and its owner went, No of course not, he just follows instructions well. this is like that except Tilly Norwood hasn't been in a movie and the owner is saying, Yes of course, because it follows instructions well, and then it doesn't

Forbes@forbes.com

Tilly Norwood, a controversial AI “actor,” abruptly switched languages during an interview with Piers Morgan, though the company behind the AI creation denied she malfunctioned.

forbes.comAI ‘Actor’ Tilly Norwood Abruptly Switches Languages Mid-InterviewTilly Norwood, a controversial AI “actor,” abruptly switched languages during an interview with Piers Morgan, though the company behind the AI creation denied she malfunctioned.

Calum Brough reposted

hoots
@hoots.bsky.social

Don't watch the new Harry Potter series. Not even if you plan on keeping your HBO subscription because of other movies and shows on the platform. Not even if you pirate it. Do not watch it.

hoots@hoots.bsky.social

"I Quit My Job Because of JK Rowling"

Calum Brough reposted

Katelyn Burns
@katelynburns.com

🧐 www.axios.com/2024/10/25/m...

axios.comScoop: Meta strikes multi-year AI deal with ReutersIt's the first news deal Meta has made in the AI era.
Reuters@reuters.com

Gen Z isn't just learning about AI — they're learning how to use it to become more productive, employable and potentially earn more reut.rs/3Tut8UK

reut.rsGen Z is betting on AI skills to boost earning powerAs AI reshapes entry-level work, young workers are using the technology to boost productivity, build portfolios and pursue new careers.

Calum Brough reposted

Shinra Middle Manager
@shinramidmanager.bsky.social

Do you remember where you were when the Sector 7 plate fell? I saw it happen from my office... Helplessly watching on in horror at the destruction... Praying my wife and daughter were okay... There was also this weird cat watching outside my window which was... distracting, but I'll never forget...

Calum Brough reposted

Liam Robbens
@liam.eurosky.social

Worth noting — as most coverage omits it — that Peggie called Dr. Upton "a freak", "a weirdo" and "it". Peggie said she would like to post bacon to a mosque. Peggie reacted to news of deaths in flooding in Pakistan by saying "What goes around comes around, they've been flooding Britain for years."

Channel 4 News@channel4news.bsky.social

Nurse at centre of trans hospital row takes on nursing union

channel4.comNurse at centre of trans hospital row takes on nursing unionA nurse has said she felt discriminated against by a union representative after she was suspended following a complaint over her behaviour towards a transgender colleague.

Calum Brough reposted

Natasha Devon
@natashadevon.bsky.social

George will be coming on my show this weekend to discuss this very important article.

George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Here's today's column on the astonishing, ongoing mistreatment of people with #ME/CFS. Please spread it far and wide: the only thing which can break the media's wall of indifference is seeing an article about the issue go viral. Thank you. 1/2 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.comAbandoned, dismissed and gaslighted: there is no excuse for the way ME sufferers have been betrayed | George MonbiotChanges in guidance and science seem to have little impact on millions of devastated lives. It’s a social crisis playing out behind closed doors, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Calum Brough reposted

g0m
@g0m.bsky.social

A world where a twist ending is repurposed as a video title. where a thing's climax has been removed, leaving an advertisment for the gap where it used to be. such things are commonplace in. the twilight zone

Calum Brough reposted

Tristan Grayford
@tristangrayford.scot

I'm totally ok with Sandie Peggie, noted racist who mocked Pakistani people drowned in mass flooding, being the "poster girl" (her own words) of transphobia.

Calum Brough reposted

Suw
@suw.bsky.social

This is absolute perfection.

Asterix Archiv 🐗@comedix.de

Eine schöne Bastel- und Malarbeit. Manchmal trägt Obelix den Hinkelstein. Manchmal ist Obelix der Hinkelstein. Dürfte nicht leicht gewesen sein, diesen Stein zu finden. #Asterix #Fanart

Calum Brough reposted

George Monbiot
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

A short thread on “legitimate concerns”. The phrase is used repeatedly by UK government ministers. The Home Secretary is at it again this week. But only ever - as far as I can tell - in one context: people’s response to the arrival of asylum seekers. Please read whole 🧵before responding - thanks