Jack Lewis Evans

Jack Lewis Evans

@jacklewisevanz.bsky.social

327 followers545 following574 posts

Weirdos. Pretty sure UC have got previous for doing this with Palestine flags.

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. * * *

Just finished watching Noah (2014), Exodus (2014), and The Passion of the Christ (2004) back to back to back in correct chronological order. God is real and I am ready to see him kill Iron Man in Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

the two types of AI “whistleblower”: 1) quit because of made up sci fi stuff about it killing us, their boss agrees with them 2) quit because AI is actually, right now, being used to cut jobs, accelerate climate breakdown and murder Palestinians one of these is not a whistleblower

There’s loads of interesting analytical models about why the media serve power: the Propaganda Model, Cultural Hegemony, Primary Definers. But what if the best explanation is that they’re just irredeemable, evil shits?

The Economist@economist.com

These days many British Jews see Zack Polanski as a traitor to his origins, not a disciple of Jewish ideas. Our profile explores how he has embraced the anti-Israel fervour that has swept the new left

[uses huge brain] “the rise in sexism is driven by the growth of women staff *and* explicitly sexist rhetoric, victims *and* perpetrators are to blame” [lasers burst from eyes, ears and rectum]

Jonathan Portes@jdportes.bsky.social

2. There *is* an important point here about context! The rise in racism against NHS staff is driven in large part by the simultaneous sharp growth in both non-white NHS staff *and* the growth in explicitly xenophobic/anti-immigrant rhetoric in UK politics. A point worth making!

When trying to explain to a Mega Brain UK Journo when something is a joke, you can just say “like Rod Liddle” and they will immediately calm down and say “oh amazing, I see now, so witty”

GenAI is like Skynet but instead of nuking us it just turns everything, even small joys and marvels, into shit.

Jack Lewis Evans reposted

As with this, and Rowling, it is going to be interesting to see which sensible commentators are ever going to mention that all of this is only possible because it's laundered through the mainstream broadsheets and treated as credible rather than mendacious horseshit.

Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social

The shamelessness of a political party which is led by a man who just weeks ago called for "pure cold rage" on the streets, shortly before migrants were literally burnt out of their homes, now accusing their opponents of "stochastic terrorism" against them, is quite something

Not only is there a magic money tree, there are two: renewables and migration. I think immigrants, all people, have value beyond our contributions to GDP, but blocking Miliband in favour of Mahmood as Chancellor, and framing it as the choice for “the economy” is maxed out silly sausage.

Microsoft always finding new riffs on “videogame book burning”

Sami@samitron.bsky.social

THIS STUDIO MADE THE FAMOUS IDTECH ENGINE AND YOU'RE FORCING THEM TO USE FUCKING **UNREAL**??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? FUCK YOU

It’s dead funny (depressing) that of the few things the UK does well, unis are right up there, yet our political class just relentlessly trash them.

Research Professional News@resprofnews.bsky.social

Breaking: Ministers confirm cut to Strategic Priorities Grant for universities. Teaching funding reduction will be sharply felt by some institutions, says Office for Students. Free to read. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

The UK is on a war footing! We must boost military spending. As such, we will reintroduce the top rate of tax from WW2: 99.25%. Any attempt to avoid this tax will be regarded as sabotage and treason, punishable by death.

80% of Gestapo arrests were initiated by civilian denunciations.

Dan Sohege@danielsohege.bsky.social

Of all the idiotic and irresponsible ideas this government has come up with this must take the cake. A self selecting group of people massively undertrained and under prepared to evaluate what are often nuanced and complex situations for asylum appeals. www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...

Starmer’s whole thing was just saying Reform voters (and policies) are right and appeasing (or implementing) them what are we talking about here lads. Thick or lying? (bit of both)

The News Agents@thenewsagents.co.uk

“Starmer tried to invoke a dark vision of what Farage would mean.” “Burnham has said, 'I’m not going to demonise Reform voters'.” Could Andy Burnham’s approach to Reform turn things around for Labour?

The end of RE2 is a broken promise. “The downfall of Umbrella was mostly court cases, not good for gameplay” ok but Capcom made Ace Attorney.

headfallsoff@headfallsoff.com

[RESIDENT EVIL 2] it's up to us to take down umbrella! yeah!!!! [REISDENT EVIL CODE VERONICA] thanks for coming. we tricked you. sit down and listen. do you know about the ashford twins. its not a story the jedi would tell you

Jack Lewis Evans reposted

Replying to @monkemma.bsky.social

35°C is normal, we used to just call that summer! Here's how many summers topped 32°C 70s 4 80s 2 90s 8 2000s 6 2010s all of them 2020s all of them And here's how many summers topped 35°C 70s 1 80s 0 90s 2 2000s 2 2010s 3 2020s 4 (out of 6 so far)

Look at these legends. The original Core Design team that made Tomb Raider (Gavin Rummery, Jason Gosling, Toby Gard, Heather Gibson, Neal Boyd and Paul Douglas). Heather Gibson created textures by adapting scans from books which is way cooler than this dross.

Game Informer@gameinformer.com

We asked the Crystal Dynamics team about its use of generative AI in developing Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. Here’s what Jeff Adams, experience director on the game, had to say.