'Hair-brained' Mayor on Sherlock wasn't based on Boris Johnson, claim BBC

 
Sherlock show: featured a description of an “incoherent” Mayor of London
For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only. BBC undated file handout photo of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes as the BBC says a description of an "incoherent" Mayor of London with "hair-brained" schemes which featured in an episode of Sherlo
8 January 2014

The BBC today claimed a description of an “incoherent” Mayor of London with “hair-brained” (sic) schemes which featured in an episode of Sherlock was not an attack on Boris Johnson.

Eagle-eyed viewers would have seen the comments in a spoof newspaper story which flashed up briefly on screen during the BBC1 show on Sunday.

The mock article revolved around the Mayor of London turning the Thames into an express waterway.

It said: “When asked to explain how the system might move forward, or even be profitable, or perhaps even to explain the point, the Mayor, who was at a self-promotion event, was found to be dithering, incoherent, and self-interested.” Mr Johnson, who was not named in the story, was reported to have responded by saying: “ It is elementary my dear Watson, I deduce a simple case of BBC bias.”

And this morning he told LBC: “I think it is perfectly legitimate for people to satirise politicians and there you go. So, whatever the BBC may say ... you know, they are entitled to spend taxpayers’ money attacking Conservative politicians. That’s what they do, that’s their raison d’etre, and I don’t in any way want to discourage them.”

A spokeswoman for the BBC said: “Sherlock is a fictional drama series. Both the newspaper and Mayor featured in the episode were entirely fictional and were not named or politically affiliated.

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