THE BBC has been slammed for making Guz Khan host of Have I Got News For You after the comedian accused Israel of “genocide”.
The stand-up comic was named as guest presenter of BBC One‘s Friday panel show, having been outspoken on the Israel-Hamas war.
Critics have questioned whether it was appropriate to give him such a role on the long-running satirical show starring team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton.
BBC staffers are reportedly “lost for words” about the booking, amid concerns about the corporation’s commitment to impartiality.
Social media criticism of Khan presenting this Friday’s show included comments saying “yet another poor decision” and “our totally unbiased BBC again”.
One poster wrote: “If this doesn’t tell you everything about the BBC, then nothing will.”
Another tweeted: “Yet another reason to scuttle the BBC.”
Khan, who previously starred in BBC Three comedy Man Like Mobeen and is also a successful touring stand-up, has regularly posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the Middle East conflict.
The 37-year-old former teacher from Coventry has accused Israel of “war crimes” as well as “occupying” Palestinian territory for years.
His posts include saying: “Ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.
“The system is set up in the West so that Israel have total, utter impunity to commit these war crimes.
“How can they wield this level of power? It’s frightening.”
He has also shared a post from Greece‘s former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis saying: “The path to ending the tragic loss of innocent lives – both Palestinian and Israeli – begins with one crucial first step: the end of the Israeli occupation and apartheid.”
The comic has also retweeted social media messages accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in response to Hamas‘s October 7 terror attacks.
Khan has now been named as the presenter of the next Have I Got News For You episode due to be shown this coming Friday.
The Times reported that there were concerns within the BBC about the decision, since the Israel-Hamas war would likely be discussed.
The Sun Online has contacted Khan’s representatives for comment.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Hat Trick are a very experienced production company who have been making Have I Got News For You for 30 years.
“They know how to make the programme and it has always had people with a broad range of political views.
“Their job is to deliver a programme that fully complies with the BBC’s editorial standards.”
The BBC has already been criticised – including by then-Foreign Secretary, now Home Secretary James Cleverly – for referring to Hamas as “militants” rather than “terrorists”.
And Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker, the corporation’s highest-paid star, shared on X a video in which Israel was accused of carrying out “textbook genocide”.
He was suspended by the BBC earlier this year over his social media comments about the government’s immigration policies.
Palestinian civilians have been left fleeing for their lives as Israel attempts to destroy Hamas after the terror group massacred 1,200 civilians on October 7.
Families living in Gaza have been caught in the brutal crossfire, with regular accusations that the terrorists are attempting to use them as “human shields”.
Much of the northern part of the strip has been turned into a devastated warzone – with ruined buildings, dwindling supplies and horrific suffering for Gaza’s people.
The Red Cross estimates that some 1.5million civilians have been forced to flee south amid the Israeli onslaught from land, air and sea.
Figures for the death toll remain unverified – but Hamas’ health officials claim more than 11,000 civilians, including more than 4,500 children have been killed.
Israel disputes these figures – and US President Joe Biden said he had “no confidence” in them.
But Benjamin Netanyahu admitted Israel has “not been successful” in reducing civilian casualties.
But he said the deaths must be blamed on Hamas – not Israel.
And as the horror continues there have been growing calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to stop the bloodshed.
